Deutsche medizinische Wochenschrift
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Dtsch. Med. Wochenschr. · Sep 1998
Case Reports[Endoscopic projectile extraction in treatment of a gunshot injury to the head].
A 14-year-old boy had in war-torn Bosnia sustained a transcranial gunshot wound from a 7.65 mm bullet. After primary medical care with craniotomy and the removal of bony fragments and cerebral debris followed by a duraplasty, he was transported to the French-German Field Hospital. On arrival he was breathing spontaneously and in stable cardiovascular state but with impaired responsiveness and somnolent. His pupils were moderately dilated with slight anisocoria (right > left). His gaze was deviated to the left and he had vertical gaze paralysis as well as right central facial nerve paresis. In addition he had a mild diencephalic syndrome, right hemiplegia and a right hemihypaesthesia with increased muscle tone, especially of the leg, paratonia and right positive Babinski reflex. There also was a marked ciliospinal reflex and he had a bulbar speech as well as cognitive and memory abnormalities. ⋯ Endoscopic transcranial removal of a bullet wedged in the brain is a relatively sparing neurological procedure which, under unusual circumstances and conditions, can achieve a satisfactory result even with limited facilities.
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Dtsch. Med. Wochenschr. · Sep 1998
Case Reports[Primary varices of the colon. A rare cause of gastrointestinal bleeding].
A 34-year-old patient presented with a two-day history of passing bright-red blood with his stools. There was no contributory past or family history and he had no accompanying symptoms. ⋯ In case of colonic varices the differential diagnosis should include portal hypertension with chronic liver disease, portal vein thrombosis, vascular anomalies or postoperative complications. The treatment of primary varices, which are rare, is conservative.
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Increasing numbers of vena canal filters are being implanted to prevent pulmonary embolism, which are mainly the consequence of deep vein and pelvic vein thrombosis. Can a filter be removed again in case of complications arising from it? What is the risk of such operative explantation? What is the subsequent risk of pulmonary embolism? ⋯ Vena caval filters can be explanted with a low operative risk. After removal and venous thrombectomy, implantation of another caval filter is unnecessary. As anticoagulation properly monitored is almost always an effective measure in the prevention of pulmonary thromboembolism, filter implantation should be performed only on the strictest indication, as an ultimate step.
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Dtsch. Med. Wochenschr. · Sep 1998
Case Reports[Meningeal irritation--a complication of herpes zoster].
A previously healthy 26-year-old man complained of gradually increasing headache after an attack of flu. After 4 days an erythema with papules but no blisters was noted in the area of distribution of the left 10th thoracic nerve. As a child he had varicella (chickenpox) without complications. ⋯ This case illustrates the risk of severe neurological complications of herpes zoster infection. A seemingly minor rash with headache must be correctly diagnosed and immediate high-dosage acyclovir treatment instituted to prevent life-threatening and severe complications of herpes zoster meningitis or encephalitis.