Stuck pericardial pigtail catheter in purulent pericarditis: early surgery?

Pyopericardium is rare in the modern antibiotic era but is still infrequently seen in the setting of immunosuppression, recent thoracic surgery and sepsis. Although classically an extension of a thoracic gram-positive bacterial infection, gram-negative bacterial purulent pericarditis may be encountered in the setting of nosocomial infections. Emergent pericardial drainage allows for prompt definitive management and planning for further intervention. Early surgery should be the priority after a failed retrieval of the catheter. Appropriate surgical methods should be employed to minimize complications associated with stuck catheters. We report a case of pyopericardium secondary to a clinically silent lung abscess in an immunocompetent 49-year-old patient. This was treated by standard pericardial drainage via a pigtail catheter. Multiple failed attempts in removal warranted a surgical approach to remove the coiled catheter. The catheter was found to be coiled around the heart with presence of clots in the pericardium.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection of an intralobar pulmonary sequestration.

Pulmonary sequestration is a rare bronchopulmonary foregut anomaly that occurs when a portion of the lung derives its blood supply from an aberrant vessel rather than the customary tracheobronchial supply. The sequestration can be classified as intralobar or extralobar. Most patients with intralobar sequestration are asymptomatic. Among symptomatic patients, presentations vary greatly, from fever, cough with expectoration, exertional dyspnea, pleuritic chest pain, and hemoptysis to eventual lung abscess or empyema. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography/computed tomography angiography is performed to determine the origin of the anomalous blood supply as well as the pathological manifestations involving the lobes. We present a patient with diagnosed intralobar sequestration who developed pulmonary tuberculosis of the sequestered lung tissue. The patient was successfully managed with long-term antitubercular therapy and left lower lobectomy with ligation of the anomalous vessel.

Asymptomatic Giant Aneurysm of the Arteria Lusoria Treated by Debranching and Aneurysmal Resection.

The aberrant right subclavian artery (ARSA, arteria lusoria) is the most common intrathoracic vascular anomaly, affecting up to 2% of the population. However, aneurysms of congenital anomalies are extremely unusual and often present with dysphagia, dysphonia, or dyspnea due to compression of the surrounding structures. We report a case of an asymptomatic 57-year-old male with chronic kidney disease who was incidentally found to have a large aneurysm of the ARSA on preoperative computed tomography for laparoscopic nephrectomy. Surgery is unequivocally warranted as these aneurysms are associated with a high risk of complications, including thrombosis, embolism, and rupture. We debranched the ARSA, followed by anastomosis to the right carotid artery through a right neck incision. Subsequently, aneurysmal resection was performed through left thoracotomy. The patient had an uneventful postoperative recovery and was asymptomatic during the follow-up.

Modus Operandi: Irrigation of the Modified Eloesser Flap in Heterogeneous Suppurative Lung Pathologies.

BACKGROUND: Refractory empyemas with collapsed lung and persistent bronchopleural fistulas pose significant problems to thoracic surgeons and impose a substantial burden in terms of morbidity and mortality. The modified Eloesser flap procedure is a useful palliative option for clearing infections. Herein, we present our experiences with the modified Eloesser flap procedure in mixed suppurative lung pathologies with a new technique of irrigation for persistent infection. METHODS: A retrospective review was carried out of 56 patients who underwent the modified Eloesser flap with continuous irrigation at Katurba Medical College. These patients had severe morbidities and were not suitable for major thoracic resection surgery, and electively underwent modified Eloesser flap surgery. Regular follow-up was done at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months. Patients with persistent infections were treated with our continuous irrigation technique. RESULTS: The most important finding was that all patients with active sputum acid-fast bacilli-positive findings became sputum smear-negative during the first month of follow- up. Half (50%) of the patients had a patent stoma. Eleven patients had persistent infections, necessitating continuous irrigation. The infection was fully cleared after 1 month in 9 patients, while 2 patients required second irrigation and continued to receive follow-up. In the remaining 50% of the patients, the stoma closed completely, and the lung expanded fully. CONCLUSION: The modified Eloesser flap is a simple procedure. In suppurative pathologies, infections were well controlled and the general condition of the patients improved. Our continuous irrigation method showed promising results in patients with persistent purulent discharge.

Clinical variables responsible for early and late diagnosis of foreign body aspiration in pediatrics age group.

BACKGROUND: Incidence of foreign body aspiration has been noticed predominantly in age group ranging from 12 months-3 years. Foreign body in the trachea is a medical emergency as presentation is in respiratory distress. Obstruction of only one main or distal bronchus, leads to severe cough, choking sensation and breathlessness. Without early intervention, it can lead to collapse, consolidation and pneumonia of the affected lung. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 37 pediatric case records who presented from January 2014-December 2018 with foreign body aspiration. Our primary aim was to assess the parameters responsible for early and late diagnosis of foreign body aspiration. We concluded with a diagnostic algorithm for management of foreign body aspiration on the basis of this outcome. RESULTS: Around 32.5% came with a history of aspiration, 43% were referred from the primary centers with a suspicion for the same and the rest came to our tertiary care hospital directly. Those who presented within a week came with complaints of wet cough, wheeze and tachypnea. Furthermore, those who came in after a week had a dry cough and fever as their main complaint. Majority of ingested foreign bodies was a vegetative type (80%) as compared to the non -vegetative. CONCLUSION: Unlike adults, foreign body aspiration in children is most commonly diagnosed on history, suspicion and clinical findings. Chest x ray has been the primary investigation of choice but in the majority of the cases it was normal with subtle changes. Early diagnosis is the key to avoid complication.

Emergency brachial artery ligation for ruptured infected pseudoaneurysm of haemodialysis access is a possible option.

BACKGROUND: For patients with end-stage renal disease, a good vascular access is essential for chronic haemodialysis. Surgically created access arteriovenous fistula for haemodialysis is associated with multiple complications, and ruptured pseudoaneurysm being the most life threatening and dreaded of all. The management of this complication warrants emergency procedure, although timely diagnosis and arteriovenous fistula salvage has been emphasised. In this study, we describe the surgical technique and outcomes of ligation of the proximal arteriovenous fistula as a plausible alternative and life-saving procedure. METHOD AND RESULTS: This is a retrospective study performed between January 2011 and December 2016. A total of 588 native arteriovenous fistula-related surgeries were performed, of which 18 patients (3.06%) developed delayed complication of infected pseudoaneurysm and rupture. All presented to the emergency care with life-threatening bleeding. We describe the surgical technique as a life-saving measure to this fatal complication. CONCLUSION: Proximal arteriovenous fistula has higher incidence of aneurysmal complications than distal ones. Ligation of the brachial artery which was a 'grey zone' of unpredictable prognosis has yielded good results and can be safely performed in desperate situations with low complication rates.

Tracheobronchial tear in chest trauma-a diagnostic perplexity.

Tracheobronchial injuries following blunt chest trauma are uncommon and diagnosed late. Tracheal rupture due to a fall from a height is rare. Early diagnosis and prompt treatment give gratifying results. We present a case of a 42-year-old man who was referred at our hospital with alleged history of fall from a height of about 12 ft from a tree. On presentation, the patient was haemodynamically stable and right-sided ICT was already inserted. There was a minimal surgical emphysema in the neck, a continuous air leak from the chest tube and a partially collapsed right lung on chest X-ray. After a few hours, he desaturated and was intubated. The right lung did not expand in spite of the second apical chest tube, and on ventilation, air leak increased. Tracheabronchial tear was suspected and computerised tomography scan revealed the site of damage and fibreoptic bronchoscopy confirmed the diagnosis. Emergency thoracotomy with primary repair of the right tracheabronchial tear was done. The patient recovered and post-operative course was uneventful.

Schwannoma (Neurilemmoma) on the Base of the Tongue: A Rare Clinical Case.

BACKGROUND: Schwannomas are slow-growing benign tumors. They can arise from any peripheral nerve, including the cranial nerves (except the olfactory and optic nerves), spinal nerves, and autonomic nerves. Schwannomas of the head and neck account for 25-40% of all cases. However, intra-oral schwannomas account for only 1% of all head and neck tumors. Complete surgical excision is the treatment of choice. Malignant transformation and recurrence following this treatment are rare. CASE REPORT: A 20-year-old woman presented with a slow-growing mass over the back of her tongue first noticed 8 months before. Examination of the oral cavity exposed a 4 × 4 cm mass over the posterior aspect of the tongue. The remaining oral cavity examination was normal, with no cervical lymph node enlargement. The patient underwent excisional biopsy by the trans-oral approach under general anesthesia. Histopathological reports discovered features of schwannoma. The patient was followed up for 1 year; she had an uneventful recovery and no evidence of recurrence. We report a case of schwannoma over the base of the tongue, a rare location for this type of tumor. CONCLUSIONS: In this article we report a case of schwannoma over the base of the tongue. Despite the rarity of this condition, physicians should consider schwannoma as a differential diagnosis for a mass over the tongue, as there can be a favorable outcome and prognosis for the patient when this condition is correctly identified.

An endoscopic study of the lacuna magna and reappraisal of its clinical significance in contemporary urological practice.

OBJECTIVE: To endoscopically study the Lacuna Magna (LM) and attempt to explain some of the anatomical, clinical and embryological issues pertaining to it. The LM, stated to be present in 30 to 50 percent of males and linked to congenital distal urethral obstructions, post-void bloody-spotting and dysuria in young boys, has few studies on its endoscopic characterization. In this study, its incidence, normal spectrum of appearance and variations have been endoscopically recorded and documented. METHODS: The fossa navicularis of 50 consecutive male patients undergoing endourological procedures for non-meatal pathologies was examined for the presence of the LM and its endoscopic characteristics, and variations were video-recorded. The variants of the LM were classified into 4 groups. RESULTS: The LM could be demonstrated in 98% of subjects. Group-wise percentage was 2%, 52%, 26%, and 20% in Type O, Type I, Type II, and Type III categories, respectively. Variations included "bi-channeled" LM and deviations in positions of the orifices off the commonest position at 12 o'clock. CONCLUSION: The LM is a constant structural component of the fossa navicularis. The "valve" of Guerin (1864), described as a leaflet between the LM and the urethra has no valvular properties. Type III variant of the LM could be mistaken for a urethral stricture during ureteroscopy as well as act as a mechanical obstruction to contrast during retrograde urethrography. The LM is indemonstrable on a micturating cystourethrogram. Further studies could determine whether the location and disposition of the LM favor the development of submeatal post-instrumentation strictures.