Peripheral lymphadenopathy: approach and diagnostic tools

Peripheral lymph nodes, located deep in the subcutaneous tissue, clean antigens from the extracellular fluid. Generally, a normal sized lymph node is less than one cm in diameter. Peripheral lymphadenopathy [LAP] is frequently due to a local or systemic, benign, self-limited, infectious disease. However, it could be a manifestation of underlying malignancy. Seventy-five percent of all LAPs are localized, with more than 50% being seen in the head and neck area. LAP may be localized or generalized. Cervical lymph nodes are involved more often than the other lymphatic regions. Generally, it is due to infections, but most of the supraclavicular lymphadenopathies are associated with malignancy. Based on different geographical areas, the etiology is various. For example, in tropical areas, tuberculosis [TB] is a main benign cause of LAP in adults and children. Complete history taking and physical examination are mandatory for diagnosis; however, laboratory tests, imaging diagnostic methods, and tissue samplings are the next steps. Tissue diagnosis by fine needle aspiration biopsy or excisional biopsy is the gold standard evaluation for LAP. We concluded that in patients with peripheral LAP, the patient's age and environmental exposures along with a careful history taking and physical examination can help the physician to request step by step further work-up when required, including laboratory tests, imaging modalities, and tissue diagnosis, to reach an appropriate diagnosis

Retrograde trans-femoral approach for successful percutaneous angioplasty in a diabetic patient with ischemic hand ulcer: a case report

Hand ischemia is a rare complication of diabetes and some other chronic vascular diseases. Critical hand ischemia causes painful limbs and disability and requires urgent revascularization. There have been a few reports of successful trans-brachial percutaneous angioplasty in the upper extremity in the radial or ulnar artery. Herein, we report the results of the endovascular treatment of a 68-year-old diabetic patient with an ischemic hand ulcer due to the severe stenotic lesions of the infra-brachial arteries. The patient underwent successful angioplasty via the retrograde trans-femoral technique to avoid the drawbacks. At the first week of post-procedural follow-up, the patient's finger was warm with a well-healing wound and reduced pain. In the next two months, he had no complaint of pain or active ulceration; the ulcer was well healed, and the hand was warm. The present case shows that history taking and physical examination should be followed by upper-extremity arteriography for the evaluation of hand ischemia. The trans-femoral approach enabled us to perform percutaneous catheterization for both diagnostic and interventional purposes. Not only is this strategy useful even for the severe stenotic disease of the distal parts of below-the-elbow arteries but also it avoids the unpleasant complications of antegrade brachial cannulation