1/124. Combined aortic and mitral stenosis in mucopolysaccharidosis type I-S (Ullrich-Scheie syndrome). The genetic mucopolysaccharidosis syndromes (MPS) are autosomal recessive inborn errors of metabolism. heart valve involvement in MPS is not uncommon but only a few case reports of successful cardiac surgery are available. In particular, reports of combined aortic and mitral stenosis associated with MPS type I-S are very rare. Both type I and type VI MPS are associated with significant left sided valvar heart disease that requires surgical valve replacement because of irregular valve thickening, fibrosis, and calcification. A 35 year old man had severe mitral valve stenosis after successful surgical replacement of a stenotic aortic valve. Valvar heart disease was investigated by cardiac ultrasound and left heart catheterisation. Histomorphological characterisation of the affected mitral valve was performed. The case illustrates typically associated clinical features of cardiac and extracardiac abnormalities found in MPS type I-S. ( info) |
| The mucopolysaccharidoses (MPS) are a group of inherited disorders of metabolism, with widespread, progressive involvement and derangement of many organs and tissues. Because of their disabling nature, frequent surgical intervention for the abnormality entailed is common, and is associated with a high degree of anesthetic risks perioperatively. One of the major hazards which we find clinically is airway difficulty. Multiple factors are present in the mucopolysaccharidoses to make airway management and trachael intubation potentially hazardous. Aside from generalized infiltration and thickening of the soft tissues, the oropharynx may be obstructed by a large tongue with tonsillar hypertrophy. Also, the friable mucosa covering the nasal and oral pharynx renders these structures easily to bleed and edematous. The neck is typically short and immobile, and the cervical spine and tempromandibular joint may have a limited range of movement. From our experience, we have learned not to overlook the propensity of airway difficulty. The uniqueness of their anatomy and extremely sensitive airway often result in failed intubation and bronchospasm even after successful intubation. Recently, in Mackay Memorial Hospital we have encountered in series three pediatric cases with mucopolysaccharidoses (one Hurler and two Hunter syndromes). In this report we would like to share our experiences and to discuss the anesthetic risks and management of the MPS patients. ( info) |
3/124. Allergic reaction to the liposomal component of liposomal amphotericin b. A case of severe allergic reaction arising during treatment with Ambisome and unresponsive to antihistamine and steroid medication is reported. A 2.9-year-old female child with Hurler's syndrome received an allogeneic cord blood transplant from an unrelated donor. During the aplastic phase, liposomal amphotericin b (Ambisome) was administered as part of an empirical treatment for persistent fever. The patient developed an extensive maculopapular rash and severe itching that resolved only on discontinuation of the drug. The patient subsequently had interstitial pneumonia with ingravescent respiratory failure in spite of adequate antibiotic and antiviral treatment. Treatment with conventional amphotericin b was considered essential in this critically ill patient, and the conventional formulation was administered for 20 days without causing any reaction. Severe allergic reaction to Ambisome is a rare event but, taking into account that premedication or dose testing is not recommended for this formulation, careful monitoring of the patient being treated for the first time is warranted. ( info) |
4/124. Failed epidural anaesthesia in a patient with Hurler's disease. Failure of epidural anaesthesia in a patient with Hurler's disease is presented. The possibility that epidural anaesthesia may fail due to deposition of mucopolysaccharide in the meninges, or in the epidural space is discussed. A granuloma in the upper trachea and severe choanal stenosis complicated the already difficult airway management. ( info) |
5/124. Identification and characterization of -3c-g acceptor splice site mutation in human alpha-L-iduronidase associated with mucopolysaccharidosis type IH/S. dna screening for mutations in the alpha-L-iduronidase (IDUA) gene was performed in a Chinese mucopolysaccharidosis type IH/S patient. The patient had two different mutations: the maternal allele has L346R (t-g transversion in codon 346) and the paternal allele has 388-3c-g (c-g transversion at position -3 of the 3' splice site of intron 2). In transfected COS-7 cells, L346R showed no appreciable IDUA activity (0.4% of normal activity), although it did not cause an apparent reduction in IDUA mRNA or protein level. The 388-3c-g mutation profoundly affects normal splicing leading to a very unstable mRNA. Expression of the IDUA cDNA containing the mutated acceptor splice site showed trace amounts of enzyme activity (1.6% of normal activity). The results provide further support for the importance of cytosine at the -3 position in rna processing. ( info) |
| OBJECTIVE AND IMPORTANCE: We present a patient with mucopolysaccharidosis with spinal cord compression, and we review previously published cases. This is the first published case of a patient with mucopolysaccharidosis with spinal cord compression who has undergone bone marrow transplantation. CLINICAL PRESENTATION: A 2-year-old patient with Hurler syndrome underwent bone marrow transplantation. Although the bone marrow transplantation improved many of the systemic effects of Hurler syndrome, the patient presented at 8 years of age with a cervical myelopathy. magnetic resonance imaging revealed soft tissue compression of the upper cervical cord. The literature review demonstrates that spastic tetraparesis, secondary to cervical cord compression, is the most common presentation of this subgroup of patients. INTERVENTION: A suboccipital craniectomy and C1-C5 laminectomy and decompression with duraplasty were performed. Pathological examination of compressive soft tissue and lamina was consistent with mucopolysaccharidosis. Postoperatively, the patient showed substantial improvement in neurological function. CONCLUSION: mucopolysaccharidoses can induce a compressive "metabolic myelopathy." Decompressive procedures have shown significant improvement in neurological function in the majority of patients without spinal instability. bone marrow transplantation may allow more patients with mucopolysaccharidoses to survive long enough to require neurosurgical treatment in the future. The effect of bone marrow transplantation on the prevention of spinal cord compression is unclear. ( info) |
| To assess the feasibility of performing a haploidentical peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (PBSCT) in a child with Hurler syndrome after a novel conditioning regimen consisting of fludarabine monophosphate, anti-T-lymphocyte globulin, low-dose busulfan, and single-dose total body irradiation of 750 cGy. A 16-month old boy with Hurler syndrome underwent haploidentical PBSCT from his 3/6 HLA-matched sister. Pretransplant conditioning consisted of fludarabine (30 mg/m2 per day) from day -10 to day -5, busulfan (4 mg/kg per day) on days -7 and -6, rabbit anti-T-lymphocyte globulin (10 mg/kg per day) from day -4 to day -1, and total body irradiation of 750 cGy on day -1. in vitro T-cell depletion was carried out with rat antihuman CDw52 monoclonal antibody (Campath-1G). The fludarabine-based protocol was well-tolerated, with mild toxicity and no major transplant-related complications or graft-versus-host disease. Engraftment was complete and stable. chimerism was 100% donor origin, as determined by restriction fragment length polymorphism. Cytogenetic and polymerase chain reaction-various number of tandem repeats (PCR-VNTR) analyses of peripheral blood and bone marrow showed 100% reconstitution with female donor cells. The patient underwent the transplant 30 months ago and is in good clinical condition, with normal counts, no signs of graft-versus-host disease, and no infectious episodes; neurologic signs have stabilized. Haploidentical PBSCT, T-cell-depleted by means of Campath-1G, may serve as a therapeutic alternative for patients with Hurler syndrome when a fully matched sibling is not available. ( info) |
8/124. Hurler syndrome: a case report. Hurler syndrome is an inherited disorder of mucopolysaceharide metabolism, which is caused by a defect in genetically controlled pathways of lysosomal degradation. It represents the classical prototype of mucopolysaccharide disorder. An interesting case of a three and a half-year old boy with a rare combination of skeletal, neurological, ophthalmologic, and dental findings is presented. It is a rare syndrome with a very low prevalence of 1:100,000 births and as such the clinician should be aware of this syndrome. ( info) |
9/124. Scheie syndrome presenting as myopathy. We investigated two brothers with Scheie syndrome whose only complaint was exercise intolerance. In the quadriceps muscle biopsy of both patients, between the normal muscle fibres an increased number of markedly swollen periodic acid-Schiff-positive fibroblasts were seen. Ultrastructurally, these cells showed an accumulation of enlarged lysosomes, partly filled with electro-dense material. We hypothesize that the accumulation of pathological fibroblasts may interfere with intramuscular force transmission resulting in exercise intolerance. ( info) |
10/124. White matter changes mimicking a leukodystrophy in a patient with Mucopolysaccharidosis: characterization by MRI. Mucopolysaccharidosis (MPS) type I (alpha-iduronidase deficiency) is characterized by storage and massive urinary excretion of dermatan sulfate and heparan sulfate; it may be distinguished into three different subtypes based on age at onset and severity of the clinical symptoms. We report on progressive white matter involvement documented by serial MR imaging in a patient with the MPS type I, severe skeletal involvement and preserved mental capabilities (intermediate phenotype or Hurler/Scheie syndrome).The natural history of white matter abnormalities in patients with MPS is still unclear; based on the present study, it appears that degenerative changes of the white matter mimicking a leukodystrophy may mark the course of MPS type I. We also suggest that the degree of MR changes in patients with MPS does not always reflect their neurological impairment. ( info) |