The Medical journal of Australia
-
Over a six-year period, 12 patients were admitted to a Melbourne teaching hospital with mycobacterial infections of the musculoskeletal system. Four of the infections involved soft tissue and these included three atypical mycobacterial infections. The average age at diagnosis was 60 years. ⋯ The average delay in diagnosis was four months. Treatment involved a combination of appropriate medication and surgical procedures that ranged from diagnostic aspiration to amputation. Mycobacterial infection of the musculoskeletal system, although uncommon in Australia, remains an important problem that requires continued awareness for early diagnosis.
-
Twenty-two patients who had received high-dose radiotherapy (50-60 Gy) for non-small-cell lung cancer were retreated with palliative radiotherapy for symptoms that were due to locally recurrent disease. Twelve of the 23 (one patient was retreated twice) repeat courses produced symptomatic benefit. ⋯ There were no other serious complications, even though total tumour doses as high as 120 Gy were achieved. This experience demonstrates that repeated courses of radiotherapy can be given successfully and safely in spite of previous radical dosage.
-
A woman with autonomic neuropathy after rubella infection is described. She had features of both sympathetic and parasympathetic impairment, the major problems being postural hypotension, abdominal and parotid pain, and fatigue. Autonomic dysfunction persisted 38 months after the rubella infection with minimal response to treatment. The literature relating to autonomic neuropathy is reviewed, and the similarities of this patient's condition to the Guillain-Barré syndrome are discussed.