ABSTRACT
Chylothorax is a rare cause of pleural effusion and occurs due to leakage of chyle into the pleural space. In most cases, it results from trauma, with malignancy accounting for most of the non-traumatic causes. Chylothorax resulting from immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS), during treatment of Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) infection, is an extremely infrequent cause of chylothorax, with only a handful of cases reported in the literature.
ABSTRACT
Ischemic colitis, a potentially reversible pathology of the colon, can masquerade in its presentation as colonic carcinoma. It typically presents with cramping abdominal pain, diarrhea, and per-rectal bleeding. Colonoscopy remains the diagnostic modality of choice that typically shows friable, edematous, or erythematous mucosa with scattered hemorrhagic erosions or ulcerations. Although rare, the colonoscopic findings can sometimes reveal a tumor mass that confounds the diagnosis of ischemic colitis as colonic carcinoma. Our patient was a 78-year-old female with no previous colon cancer screening who presented with a mass-forming variant of ischemic colitis. Due to the overlap in presentations, radiographic findings, and colonoscopic findings, the diagnostic challenge was evident. Ultimately, colon cancer was ruled out through thorough colonoscopic follow-up and biopsy-guided pathological analysis. This case signifies the importance of considering colonic mass as a guise of underlying ischemic colitis to ensure an accurate diagnosis and the best possible outcome for the patient.
