[Management of a symptomatic acute severe hyponatremia recovered by its neurological sequelae. A case report]. / Management in un caso di iponatriemia acuta severa recuperata dalle sue sequele neurologiche.

Hyponatremia is a common condition in hospitalized patients, with an incidence rate of about 30%. Acute severe hyponatremia is frequently acquired in hospital, due to surgery or an injudicious use of fluid infusions, or the use of nephrotoxic drugs or those stimulating excessive natruresis. A 59 year old male was hospitalized under emergency conditions in General Surgery for abdominal pain. The patient's anamnesis included: hypertension, diabetes, suspected Crohn's disease all in pharmacological treatment. During the recovery rehydration and antibiotic therapy (imipenem+cilastatin and metronidazole) was made and beclomethasone was suspended. On the seventh day from the recovery, the patient had a symptomatic acute severe hyponatremia with neurological severe symptoms (loss of consciousness, seizures). After the immediate diagnosis of the severe sodium loss, the patient underwent to an aggressive intravenous therapy for the electrolytic disorder during the first 24 hours, followed by a target-guided therapy until the level of serum sodium was in the normal values range. The patient, despite the neurological symptoms due to hyponatremia and the rapid and aggressive electrolytic therapy, had no neurological damage with a complete "restitutio ad integrum" of his neurological activity.

A rare case of retrocaval ureter associated with persistent left vena cava.

We report a rare case of a retrocaval ureter associated with a left inferior vena cava transposition and with concomitant nephrolithiasis in a young woman already surgically treated during her first years of life for cardiovascular disease. Diagnosis and surgical procedure are described, including the use of a flexible ureterorenoscope to facilitate kidney stone removal.

[Description of a case of Cotard's syndrome]. / Sindrome di Cotard. Descrizione di un caso.

The authors report the case of a male 61-year-old patient with Cotard's syndrome. Onset occurred three years ago with depressive symptoms that did not show the specific features of the syndrome, but failed to respond fully to treatment with tricyclic antidepressants. A probable later recurrence was characterised by elements typical of Cotard's syndrome. Treatment with tricyclic and serotoninergic antidepressants was ineffective. Encephalic NMR showed multiple ischemic foci and signs of cortical atrophy. Three years after the onset of depressive symptoms Cotard's syndrome is virtually unchanged and shows ingravescent mental deterioration.