ABSTRACT
Approximately 90% of nontuberculous mycobacterium (NTM) infections involve the pulmonary system; NTM infections involving areas of the musculoskeletal system such as the joints or spine are uncommon. This report describes a case of refractory knee swelling in a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Indolent arthritis of the knee eventually progressed to spondylitis and a paraspinal abscess requiring surgical incision and drainage. The cause of the infectious arthritis and spondylitis was diagnosed as NTM infection, specifically Mycobacterium kansasii. This case emphasizes the importance of a high index of clinical suspicion for mycobacterial infection, as well as repeated attempts to isolate the organism, in patients with SLE who present with atypical chronic arthritis.
Subject(s)
Humans , Abscess , Arthritis , Arthritis, Infectious , Drainage , Joints , Knee , Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic , Musculoskeletal System , Mycobacterium kansasii , Nontuberculous Mycobacteria , Spine , SpondylitisABSTRACT
Superior semicircular canal dehiscence syndrome (SCDS) is characterized by cochleovestibular hyper-responsiveness symptoms including sound- and pressure-evoked vertigo and oscillopsia, autophony, hyperacusis and ear fullness. The typical audiometric feature of SCDS is known as conductive hearing loss at low frequency. A 43-year-old man presented with unilateral sudden deafness after several events of heading during soccer game. High-resolution temporal bone computed tomography revealed a dehiscence of superior canal encased by superior petrous sinus. We reviewed audio-vestibular findings in this patient and speculated potential pathogenic mechanisms of sudden deafness in SCDS with literature review.
Subject(s)
Adult , Humans , Deafness , Ear , Head , Hearing Loss, Conductive , Hearing Loss, Sudden , Hyperacusis , Semicircular Canals , Soccer , Temporal Bone , VertigoABSTRACT
Necrotizing fasciitis is an invasive soft tissue infection that progresses rapidly. It rarely occurs in the craniocervical area but when it does, it can be fatal; an early diagnosis and treatment would be thus important. Patients with necrotizing fasciitis are treated with intravenous antibiotics after wide debridement of necrotic tissues and daily dressing with antibiotic solution. Since daily dressing is thought to be a bothering procedure to both patients and medical doctors, we applied negative pressure wound therapy on the necrotizing fasciitis wound after operation. Negative pressure wound therapy has been used broadly in the departments of plastic surgery, orthopedic surgery and urology but rarely in the department of otorhinolaryngology. After applying the negative pressure wound therapy, the wound was successfully healed. We hereby introduce the benefits of negative pressure treatment on necrotizing fasciitis patients.
Subject(s)
Humans , Anti-Bacterial Agents , Bandages , Debridement , Early Diagnosis , Fasciitis, Necrotizing , Neck , Negative-Pressure Wound Therapy , Orthopedics , Otolaryngology , Soft Tissue Infections , Surgery, Plastic , UrologyABSTRACT
A 60-year-old man visited our clinic with a sudden blurred vision and ocular pain in his right eye occurring 15 years after cataract surgery. The intraocular pressure (IOP) was 55 mmHg in the right eye and gonioscopy revealed a wide open angle with white cortical lens material in the inferior angle. Since the IOP was unable to be controlled with medical therapy, removal of the lens material was performed by irrigation and aspiration. Following surgery, the IOP was decreased to 18 mmHg without medication and the patient's vision recovered to 20/20. The pathology of the aqueous humor showed macrophages with engulfed lens particles.