Journal of medical case reports
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Fournier's gangrene is an acute surgical emergency characterized by high mortality rates ranging from approximately 13% to 45%. Therefore, aggressive multidisciplinary management is necessary. ⋯ The mainstay of treatment for Fournier's gangrene should include fluid resuscitation, broad-spectrum antibiotic therapy, intensive care, nutritional support, and early aggressive surgical debridement of all necrotic tissue.
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We present a minimal skin wound abdominal myomectomy performed in our hospital and attempt to identify the optimal range of this technique by considering the characteristics of target leiomyomas. In this procedure, we attempted to make the skin wound as small as possible, with a maximum length of approximately 5 cm. ⋯ Minimal skin wound abdominal myomectomy is safe and effective for use in many patients, because only the number of leiomyomas affects the amount of blood loss. No other factor affected operation time. We suggest the possibility that the expanded use of minimal skin wound abdominal myomectomy may reduce the number of patients waiting for long periods to undergo laparoscopic surgery and may optimize the use of medical resources in rural areas.
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Waldenström's macroglobulinemia is a rare B-cell lymphoma. The gold standard treatment for Waldenström's macroglobulinemia is an anti-CD20 antibody (rituximab) in combination with alkylating agents and dexamethasone. Treatment targeting the B-cell receptor such as ibrutinib (but not idelalisib) is currently approved for treatment of patients with relapsed or refractory Waldenström's macroglobulinemia. ⋯ Our patient's case provides the first evidence, to the best of our knowledge, that idelalisib may be an efficient treatment option for patients with Waldenström's macroglobulinemia complicated by anuric renal failure and in whom ibrutinib is contraindicated.
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Takotsubo cardiomyopathy or stress cardiomyopathy is characterized by transient left ventricular apical ballooning in the absence of coronary occlusion. The underlying pathophysiological mechanism is still unclear but possible causes have been proposed mainly catecholamine cardiotoxicity, followed by metabolic disturbance, coronary microvascular impairment, and multivessel epicardial coronary artery vasospasm. Takotsubo cardiomyopathy accounts for 1-2% of patients presenting with acute coronary syndrome with the majority of patients diagnosed with Takotsubo cardiomyopathy being women > 55 years of age. Here, we discuss the case of a 38-year-old woman presenting with typical chest pain, electrocardiography changes and cardiac markers consistent with acute coronary syndrome, who was subsequently diagnosed with Takotsubo cardiomyopathy. ⋯ Our patient did not have one clear trigger for her overt Takotsubo cardiomyopathy other than the Zumba activity. Zumba is considered an activity with excessive sympathetic stimulation leading to catecholamine-induced microvascular spasm or through to direct myocardial toxicity, which is postulated to be behind the pathophysiology of Takotsubo cardiomyopathy. Another interesting finding in our patient was her use of spironolactone, as treatment for hirsutism, which is an aldosterone antagonist. Aldosterone actually potentiates the effects of catecholamine and thus activates the sympathetic system. Spironolactone can thus be considered as cardioprotective against the effects of catecholamine on the heart and that is why it is considered to be beneficial and subsequently improves mortality in chronic heart failure as described in several studies.
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Review Case Reports
Post-Partum Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (TTP) in a Patient with known Idiopathic (Immune) Thrombocytopenic Purpura: a case report and review of the literature.
Incidences of immune thrombocytopenic purpura occur in 1 in every 1000-10,000 pregnancies accounting for 3% of all thrombocytopenic pregnancies. A pre-existing immune thrombocytopenic purpura is known to be a risk factor for developing thrombocytopenia during pregnancy. We present here the treatment regime and management of a patient with known immune thrombocytopenic purpura who developed postpartum thrombotic thrombocytopenia with atypical response to traditional therapy. Pregnant women are more vulnerable to immune thrombocytopenic purpura or thrombotic thrombocytopenia. Pregnancy or postpartum thrombotic thrombocytopenia accounts for 10-25% of all thrombotic thrombocytopenia. ⋯ Rituximab in conjunction with mycophenolate mofetil following plasma exchange therapy was effective in controlling the low platelet count in our patient. Only two doses of rituximab were sufficient to normalize our patient. We present here a case of safe and effective use of rituximab in pregnancy-induced thrombotic thrombocytopenia.