ABSTRACT
Unilateral exudative pleural effusions have been described as a rare complication of polycystic liver disease. Surgical debridement of the main cyst reduces recurrence of the pleural effusion. We describe the case of an elderly Asian woman with recurrent large right-sided pleural effusion and also a large hepatic cyst under her right hemidiaphragm. She was deemed a poor surgical candidate and was treated with an indwelling pleural catheter (IPC). She was discharged from Sengkang General Hospital with improvement in symptoms. An 88-year-old Asian woman presented twice to Sengkang General Hospital with recurrent right-sided exudative pleural effusion. She had a past medical history of hypertension, type 2 diabetes, hyperlipidemia, ischemic heart disease (left ventricle ejection fraction 55%), atrial fibrillation, and chronic kidney disease stage 3 (estimated glomerular filtration rate 53). She denied any family history of polycystic kidney or liver disease. Computer tomography of her chest, abdomen, and pelvis revealed a large right pleural effusion and also a large hepatic cyst. A pleural catheter was inserted and the fluid analysis was consistent with an exudative effusion. The pleural fluid was sterile to culture for bacteria and mycobacterium. The cytology was negative for malignant cells. The pleural effusion recurred quickly despite repeated large-volume drainage from the pleural catheter. Our patient was not suitable for surgical debridement of the hepatic cyst and eventually received an IPC and was discharged. With the advent of IPC, there has been increasing interest in using IPC in the management of non-malignant pleural effusions. While surgical debridement of hepatic cysts is the preferred treatment option in recurrent pleural effusion associated with polycystic liver disease, IPCs now provide another viable and minimally invasive option for clinicians and patients.
ABSTRACT
We describe a case of persistent microscopic hematuria in a patient with Takayasu arteritis (TA). Urological cause has been excluded. Classically, TA is found to only involve large arteries like the aorta and its branches. There is some evidence that showed the association of small vessel vasculitis like glomerulonephritis with TA. Histopathological studies showed similar features of vasculitis between the small and large vessel involvement in TA. This may explain the similar disease process that has not been well understood in TA. We believe that the persistent microscopic haematuria in the patient described is caused by TA associated glomerulonephritis. A series of investigations ruled out other causes of glomerular microscopic haematuria like autoimmune or infection related glomerulonephritis.
ABSTRACT
We describe a case of melioidosis presenting as acalculous cholecystitis in a middle-aged Chinese male. The patient presented with clinical features of cholecystitis and computed tomography (CT) imaging did not reveal other obvious sources of sepsis other than acalculous cholecystitis. The decision was made by the hepatobiliary team to proceed with an urgent cholecystectomy in view of patient's septic presentation. Cultures from peripheral blood and intraoperatively obtained bile fluid grew Burkholderia pseudomallei. The patient subsequently completed one month of meropenem, followed by another three months of eradication therapy. The patient denied soil contact in his work but he comes from a melioidosis-endemic country. He was also newly diagnosed with diabetes mellitus during his admission. We believe this to be the first reported case of melioidosis presenting as acalculous cholecystitis with a positive bile fluid culture. Urgent cholecystectomy in susceptible cases, with positive contact history or from endemic countries, might present another modality to achieve source control. Appropriate antibiotics with melioidosis coverage should be started early as well.
