1/89. Fatal multi-organ failure after suicidal overdose with MDMA, 'ecstasy': case report and review of the literature.A 53-year-old prisoner died of multiorgan failure after a suicidal overdose with 3,4-methylenedeoxymethamphetamine (MDMA, 'Ecstasy'). Twelve hours after ingestion of MDMA, the patient became severely hyperthermic (107.2 degrees F) with evidence of rhabdomyolysis. He subsequently developed acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), disseminated intravascular coagulopathy (DIC) and acute renal failure. At autopsy, plasma concentration of MDMA was 3.05 mg/L. This case shows that MDMA is still abused in our community and clinicians should know the symptoms of MDMA intoxication. In particular, MDMA should be considered when patients have symptoms or signs of increased sympathetic activity. The pathophysiology and treatment of MDMA-induced hyperthermia are discussed.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = organ (Clic here for more details about this article) |
2/89. Trauma, sepsis, and disseminated intravascular coagulation.disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) was first observed clinically in a case of sepsis following severe trauma. It was postulated that the observed clotting defect and bleeding were due to the using up of clotting factors in an episode of intravascular clotting. It was also postulated that the multiple organ failure observed was due to obstruction of the microcirculation of the organs by microclots. Evidence for this process was worked out in many animal studies. It was then postulated that if these microclots could be lysed before organ necrosis was produced, organ failure could be prevented. This prevention was shown to be possible in animals. It was then tried in humans using plasminogen activators, and the approach was found to be effective. Using a low dose of plasminogen activator over a 24-hour period caused no changes in the coagulation profile or bleeding.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.8keywords = organ (Clic here for more details about this article) |
3/89. Disseminated zygomycosis due to rhizopus schipperae after heatstroke.A 21-year-old woman suffered heatstroke and developed diarrhea while trekking across south texas. The heatstroke was complicated by seizures, rhabdomyolysis, pneumonia, renal failure, and disseminated intravascular coagulation. The patient's stool and blood cultures grew campylobacter jejuni. The patient subsequently developed paranasal and gastrointestinal zygomycosis and required surgical debridement and a prolonged course of amphotericin b. The zygomycete cultured was rhizopus schipperae. This is only the second isolate of R. schipperae that has been described. R. schipperae is characterized by the production of clusters of up to 10 sporangiophores arising from simple but well-developed rhizoids. These asexual reproductive propagules are produced on Czapek Dox agar but are absent on routine mycology media, where only chlamydospores are observed. Despite multiorgan failure, bacteremia, and disseminated zygomycosis, the patient survived and had a good neurological outcome. Heatstroke has not been previously described as a risk factor for the development of disseminated zygomycosis.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.2keywords = organ (Clic here for more details about this article) |
4/89. Adam (MDMA) and Eve (MDEA) misuse: an immunohistochemical study on three fatal cases.Three fatal cases of MDMA/MDEA misuse have been examined. These referred to white males between 19 and 20 years of age, in which post-mortem toxicology showed the presence of MDMA (in one case), MDEA (in one case) and both (in one case). The clinical data were analysed and the histopathological findings were studied following immunohistochemical investigations. A complete immunohistochemical study has made it possible to demonstrate rhabdomyolysis and myoglobinuria with alterations of the organs typical of a DIC. Clinical, histopathological and toxicological data suggest that severe or fatal complications following ecstasy ingestion could be related to idiosyncratic response.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.2keywords = organ (Clic here for more details about this article) |
5/89. Purulent pericarditis due to group B streptococcus and mycotic aneurysm of the ascending aorta: case report.A 61-year-old female, with a history of uterine and cervical cancer treated with radical hysterectomy and 2 years of postoperative chemotherapy, presented to the emergency department with dyspnea on exertion. Computed tomography of the chest revealed a large pericardial effusion and a sacciform aneurysm of the ascending aorta. The patient subsequently underwent emergency pericardiocentesis with drainage of approximately 330 ml of a bloody and turbid effusion. Cultures from the effusion yielded group B streptococcus. multiple organ failure and disseminated intravascular coagulation syndrome occurred in the acute phase, but gradually improved with continuous antibiotic therapy. On the 194th hospital day, in situ reconstruction of the ascending aorta was successfully performed using a synthetic graft. Although rarely reported, both purulent bacterial pericarditis and mycotic aneurysm can be life-threatening.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.2keywords = organ (Clic here for more details about this article) |
6/89. coma as an acute presentation of adrenoleukodystrophy.X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy is a metabolic disorder with broad clinical variations. A 4-year-old male admitted to the hospital with fever, hypotension, and coma as the presenting signs of adrenoleukodystrophy is reported. The initial presentation followed by rapidly developing disseminated intravascular coagulopathy and multiorgan failure suggested an initial diagnosis of septic shock. However, bronze skin pigmentation and a cranial computed tomography scan demonstrating posterior demyelination consistent with adrenoleukodystrophy led to the final diagnosis. The diagnosis was confirmed by the findings of elevated very-long-chain fatty acid levels and an elevated C24/C16 ratio in plasma and fibroblast cultures. Atypical presentations of the disease require a high index of suspicion to initiate treatment before the appearance of irreversible sequelae.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.2keywords = organ (Clic here for more details about this article) |
7/89. Intramedullary spinal cord metastasis from gastric cancer. Case report.A case of intramedullary spinal cord metastasis from gastric cancer is reported. A 51-year-old woman presented with hemicord syndrome that had progressed within 1 month to tetraplegia. Despite total resection of the tumor, she died of disseminated intravascular coagulation and multiple organ failure. Examination of pathological findings demonstrated undifferentiated adenocarcinoma, and postoperative gastroendoscopic study revealed advanced gastric cancer. To the authors' knowledge this is the first case of intramedullary spinal cord metastasis from gastric cancer. The clinical characteristics of the disease are discussed.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.2keywords = organ (Clic here for more details about this article) |
8/89. High fever, renal failure, disseminated intravascular coagulation and myelodysplasia accompanied with enhanced angiogenesis possibly due to overexpression of vascular endothelial growth factor.A 44-year-old woman suffered from recurrent fever, edema and fatigue. Laboratory data revealed renal dysfunction, low proteinemia, disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) and myelodysplasia. A renal and lymph node biopsy showed a marked angiogenesis. serum levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and interleukin (IL)-6 were markedly increased, suggesting a pathogenesis related to VEGF-induced angiogenesis. The symptoms were remitted after treatment with cyclosporin A. No evidence of solid tumors, malignant lymphoma, Castleman's disease or POEMS (polyneuropathy, organomegaly, endocrine disorder, M-proteinemia and skin change) syndrome, reported to induce a high serum VEGF level, was obtained. This case may have involved an unknown mechanism which induced an overexpression of VEGF and IL-6.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.2keywords = organ (Clic here for more details about this article) |
9/89. Virus-associated haemophagocytic syndrome responsive to steroid pulse therapy and double filtration plasmapheresis.We present an adult patient with haemophagocytic syndrome (HPS) successfully treated with a combination of steroid pulse therapy and double filtration plasmapheresis (DFPP). A 58-year-old male was admitted with high fever, severe renal dysfunction, liver dysfunction and an increased level of lactate dehydrogenase. A serological test for Epstein-Barr (EB) virus showed an elevation of EBNA-IgM antibody titre. There were increased haemophagocytic histiocytes in the bone marrow in addition to thrombocytopenia and disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) accompanied by organ dysfunction. EB virus associated haemophagocytic syndrome was diagnosed. On admission, interferon (IFN)-gamma, interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) and macrophage (M)-CSF were elevated, and were promptly normalized after steroid pulse therapy was initiated. G-CSF and M-CSF gradually decreased after DFPPs was started. To control hypercytokinaemia until treatment for the underlying disease is initiated, steroid pulse therapy and double filtration plasmapheresis are useful.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.2keywords = organ (Clic here for more details about this article) |
10/89. Adverse outcome following transfemoral endovascular stent-graft repair of an abdominal aortic aneurysm in a patient with severe liver dysfunction: report of a case.We describe herein the case of a patient with severe liver failure in whom an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) extending to the right iliac artery was diagnosed. Because the risk of performing a standard open repair was considered too high in this patient, the aneurysm was uneventfully repaired using a technique of transfemoral endovascular stent-grafting with femorofemoral bypass and occlusion of the left common and right internal iliac arteries. Unfortunately, multiorgan failure associated with adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) suddenly developed on postoperative day (POD) 2 and the patient died on POD 9. Thus, although endovascular stent-grafting is generally assumed to be less invasive and therefore feasible for high-risk patients, patients with severe liver dysfunction may not be suitable candidates.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.2keywords = organ (Clic here for more details about this article) |
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