How High Can You Get: A Case Report of an Unusual Cause of Ascending Paralysis.

Secondary hyperkalemic paralysis is a life-threatening manifestation of hyperkalemia seen with a potassium level of 7 or above 7 milliequivalents per liter (Meq/L) in an acute or chronic state. Standard hyperkalemic treatment should be initiated upon diagnosis with emergency dialysis in refractory cases. Here we present the case of a patient with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) compliant with dialysis three times a week. The patient presented with generalized ascending flaccid paralysis and was found to have serum potassium of 9.6 Meq/L. Spontaneous resolution of the paralysis was observed shortly after the completion of one hemodialysis session. The goal of this case report is to raise awareness of a life-threatening complication of electrolyte imbalances in ESRD even in patients that are compliant with dialysis.

A Rare Cause of Acute Abdomen in a 59-Year-Old Male.

Celiac artery dissection is often an inconspicuous cause of acute abdomen. Spontaneous celiac artery dissection is most often associated with aortic dissection, and thus isolated spontaneous celiac artery dissection is rare. Herein, we present a case of celiac artery dissection with no aortic involvement. This case emphasizes the importance of including such a condition in the differential diagnosis of patients presenting with acute abdomen.

A Rare Cause of Acquired Factor X Deficiency in an 87-Year-Old Female.

Factor X deficiency is a rare coagulopathy that can be inherited or acquired. Acquired factor X deficiency has been associated with plasma cell dyscrasias, amyloids, and use of vitamin K antagonists. Of plasma cell dyscrasias, most cases in the literature have been associated with multiple myeloma with or without concomitant AL amyloidosis. Here, we present a rare case of acquired isolated factor X deficiency in an elderly patient with immunoglobulin A (Ig A) monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS). Herein, we highlight a rare cause of acquired factor X deficiency, and we hope to contribute to the growing literature of plasma cell dyscrasias associated with factor X deficiency.

It smells and tastes like cancer but it's not cancer: A case report of aggressive benign lung neoplasm.

Desmoid tumors are rare, locally aggressive benign tumors with a high rate of recurrence even after complete resection. Only twenty percent are intrathoracic and they are often painless or minimally painful with slow growth. Rarely they can grow quite rapidly, mimicking a malignant tumor. Here we present a rare case of a rapidly growing, intrathoracic desmoid tumor mimicking lung malignancy in an elderly male ex-smoker. This case demonstrates the importance of including desmoid tumors in the differential diagnosis of lung masses, raising awareness of benign tumors mimicking malignant behavior, and emphasizing the potential benefit of timely follow-up and early diagnosis.