Successful Surgical Excision of Retropharyngeal Plexiform Neurofibroma in a Non-neurofibromatosis Adult Male.

Plexiform neurofibromas are benign tumors that arise from neuronal cells and are commonly associated with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) patients. However, the occurrence of plexiform neurofibromas in the pharyngeal region is extremely rare. In this particular case, we report the successful diagnosis of a retropharyngeal plexiform neurofibroma in an adult male patient without a history of neurofibromatosis. The diagnosis was made using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and confirmed by a biopsy. Following the diagnosis, the tumor was surgically excised, resulting in a successful removal of the neurofibroma.

Insuficiencia mitral causada por cuerpo extraño / Foreing body mitral valve insufficiency

Introducción: Hombre de 21 años con antecedentes de una valvuloplastía aórtica transventricular a los 3 meses de edad y de una aortoventriculoplastía anterior (operación de Konno-Rastan) con reemplazo valvular aórtico con prótesis de St Jude número 17, a los 10 meses de edad. En el año 2006, a los 16 años, fue re-operado por una estenosis subvalvular aórtica, efectuándose una ampliación del Konno con pericardio bovino y un reemplazo de la prótesis aórtica St Jude 17 por una número 23. Asintomático hasta 3 meses previo a su ingreso en que inicia disnea progresiva. Se efectuó en esta oportunidad un ecocardiograma transesofágico el que demostró una regurgitación periprostética aórtica severa y la presencia de un catéter que entraba a la aurícula izquierda a través de la vena pulmonar superior derecha, dirigiéndose a la válvula mitral (Fig 1-A, flechas). El velo mitral anterior y el aparato subvalvular mitral estaban retraídos alrededor del catéter, lo que originaba una insuficiencia mitral moderada (Fig 1-B, flechas).Al momento de la cirugía se confirmaron los hallazgos ecocardiográficos, encontrándose este catéter completamente adherido al velo mitral anterior, cuerdas tendíneas y músculo papilar, como se puede observar en la pieza quirúrgica (Fig 1-C y D, flechas). En esta cuarta operación se reconstruyó el Konno con Dacron y se reemplazó la válvula mitral con una prótesis de St Jude número 27. En su último control el paciente estaba asintomático.

A 21 year-old man presented with a 3-month history of progressive dyspnea . He had undergone transventricular aortic valvuloplasty at age 3 months and at age 10 months a Konno operation with implantation of a 17- St Jude prosthesis. In 2006, at age 16 years-old, he was reoperated due to subvalvular stenosis. A Konno amplification with bovine pericardiumwas was performed and the 17-St Jude valve replaced by a size 23 valve. Transesophagueal ecocardiography showed severe peri-prosthetic aortic regurgitation and a catheter entering the left atrium through the right superior pulmonary vein toward the mitral valve (Fig 1-A, arrows). The anterior leaflet and the subvalvular apparatus were retracted around the catheter, causing moderate mitral regurgitation (Fig 1-B, arrow). At surgery, echocardiography findings were confirmed, the catheter being completely adhered to the anterior leaflet, chordae tendinae and papillary muscle, as can be seen in the surgical specimen (Fig 1-C and D, arrows). The Konno was reconstructed with Dacron and the mitral valve replaced with a 27-St Jude prosthesis. At last follow-up, the patient was asymptomatic.

Chromatographic analysis of lipid fractions in healthy dogs and dogs with obesity or hyperadrenocorticism.

Obesity and endogenous hyperadrenocorticism (HAC) are common clinical conditions in veterinary practice, and both conditions have clinical and laboratory similarities, such as weight gain and dyslipidemia. The objective of the present study was to characterize and compare the lipid profiles and plasma lipoprotein fractions in healthy dogs (n = 10), in obese dogs (n = 10), and in dogs with HAC (n = 6). All of the dogs were client owned. The lipoproteins were separated by fast protein liquid chromatography, and the plasma concentrations of total cholesterol and total triacylglycerol (TAG) were determined by enzymatic methods. When compared with the healthy and obese groups, dogs with HAC had a significant increase (P < 0.01) in the total concentrations of TAGs and cholesterol (CHOL), with higher distribution in the very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL)-CHOL fractions. In addition, the distributions of the high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-CHOL and HDL-TAG fractions were significantly lower (P < 0.01) in dogs with HAC than in healthy dogs. Considering the animals in this study, it was determined that the dogs with HAC differed significantly from the healthy and obese dogs regarding the metabolism of CHOL and TAG, as well as their VLDL and HDL fractions. Similar laboratory findings could allow veterinarians to distinguish obese dogs from those with HAC. In addition, dogs with HAC may be at higher risk for developing metabolic and atherosclerotic complications.