Peritonsillar abscess caused by Prevotella bivia during home quarantine for coronavirus disease 2019: Case report.

RATIONALE: Since late 2019, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) had rapidly spread worldwide, resulting in a pandemic. Patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have difficulty in visiting clinics in person during pandemic because they might be encouraged to quarantine at home with supportive care. Peritonsillar abscess rarely coexists with COVID-19; however, patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection could get co-infections or become superinfected with other microorganisms which could cause peritonsillar abscess. We herein describe a case of peritonsillar abscess caused by Prevotella bivia that occurred as a co-infection with COVID-19 during home quarantine. PATIENT CONCERNS: A 32-year-old Asian woman who was diagnosed with COVID-19 was instructed to stay home for quarantine. Her pharyngeal discomfort worsened, and she experienced trismus and dysphagia. An emergent visiting doctor referred her to our hospital. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography showed peritonsillar abscess findings, following which we referred her to an ear, nose, throat specialist. Prevotella bivia was identified on needle aspiration pus culture; however, two sets of blood and throat cultures were negative. DIAGNOSIS: A definitive diagnosis of acute COVID-19 and peritonsillar abscess due to Prevotella bivia was made. INTERVENTIONS: An antibiotic drug, antiviral drug, and adjunctive steroid were administered intravenously. OUTCOMES: Her symptoms improved without the need for incision and drainage, and she was discharged on day 7. CONCLUSION: Patients with suspected peritonsillar abscess should be triaged and referred to ear, nose, throat specialists appropriately. Scoring systems, such as modified Liverpool peritonsillar abscess score or the guidelines criteria might be useful tools to triage patients. During the early phase of SARS-CoV-2 infection, administration of corticosteroids is not recommended. When adjunctive steroids are considered for peritonsillar abscess, prior to or simultaneous use of the antiviral agent remdesivir for COVID-19 might be recommended.

Effectiveness of endoscopic hemostasis in preventing diverticular bleeding with extravasation detected by contrast-enhanced computed tomography: A single-center retrospective cohort study.

ABSTRACT: In diverticular bleeding, extravasation detected by computed tomography indicates active bleeding. It is unclear whether an endoscopic procedure is the best method of hemostasis for diverticular bleeding. This retrospective study was conducted to examine the effectiveness of endoscopic hemostasis in preventing diverticular rebleeding with extravasation visualized by contrast-enhanced computed tomography.This single-center, retrospective, the observational study utilized data from an endoscopic database. Adult patients admitted to our hospital due to diverticular bleeding diagnosed by colonoscopy were included. We compared the data between the extravasation-positive and extravasation-negative groups. The primary outcome was the proportion of successful hemostasis without rebleeding within 1 month after the first endoscopic procedure. Altogether, 69 patients were included in the study (n = 17, extravasation-positive group; n = 52, extravasation-negative group). The overall rebleeding rate was 30.4% (21/69). The rebleeding rate was higher in the extravasation-positive group than in the extravasation-negative group, although without a statistically significant difference. However, among the patients who underwent endoscopic hemostasis, the rebleeding rate was significantly higher in the extravasation-positive group than in the extravasation-negative group (50% [8/16] vs 10.5% [2/19], p = .022). In the extravasation-positive group, all 8 patients with rebleeding underwent repeat colonoscopy. Of these, 5 patients required additional clips; bleeding was controlled in 3 patients, while arterial embolization or surgery was required for hemostasis in 2 patients. None of the remaining 3 patients with rebleeding in the extravasation-positive group required clipping; thus, their conditions were only observed.Many patients with diverticular bleeding who exhibited extravasation on computed tomography experienced rebleeding after endoscopic hemostasis. However, bleeding in more than half of these patients could be stopped by 2 endoscopic procedures, without performing transcatheter arterial embolization or surgery even if rebleeding occurred. Some serious major complications due to such invasive interventions are reported in the literature, but colonoscopic complications did not occur in our patients. Endoscopic hemostasis may be the preferred and effective first-line therapy for patients with diverticular bleeding who have extravasation, as visualized by contrast-enhanced computed tomography.

Etiology of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in psychiatric patients: Chart review.

AIM: Although sudden cardiac deaths are more common in psychiatric patients than the general population, data on their causes are very limited. The aim of this study was to investigate initial rhythms and causes of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) in patients with psychiatric disorders. METHODS: We conducted a systematic chart review of patients resuscitated after OHCA and hospitalized in the Tertiary Emergency Medical Center of Tokyo Metropolitan Bokutoh Hospital in Japan between January 2010 and December 2017. The initial rhythms and causes of OHCA were compared between psychiatric patients and non-psychiatric patients. Parameters of interest were compared using chi-squared test, Fisher's exact test, or the Mann-Whitney U-test, as appropriate. RESULTS: A total of 49 psychiatric and 600 non-psychiatric patients were eligible for this study. Fatal but shockable arrhythmias (i.e. ventricular fibrillation and ventricular tachycardia) were less frequently observed as initial rhythms in patients with psychiatric disorders than the others (22.4% vs 49.7%, P < 0.001). Cardiac origin was less common as the cause of OHCA (26.5% vs 58.5%, P < 0.01), while airway obstruction and pulmonary embolism were more frequent in psychiatric versus non-psychiatric patients (24.5% vs 6.5%, P < 0.01; and 12.2% vs 1.5%, P < 0.01, respectively). The results were similar when psychiatric patients were compared with sex- and age-matched controls selected from the non-psychiatric patient group. CONCLUSION: Although fatal arrhythmias may be less common, non-cardiac causes such as pulmonary embolism and airway obstruction need to be treated with high clinical suspicion in an event of sudden cardiac arrest in psychiatric patients.

Purpura fulminans with Lemierre's syndrome caused by Gemella bergeri and Eikenella corrodens: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Gemella bergeri is one of the nine species of the genus Gemella and is relatively difficult to identify. We herein describe the first case of septic shock due to a Gemella bergeri coinfection with Eikenella corrodens. CASE PRESENTATION: A 44-year-old Asian man with a medical history of IgG4-related ophthalmic disease who was prescribed corticosteroids (prednisolone) presented to our hospital with dyspnea. On arrival, he was in shock, and a purpuric eruption was noted on both legs. Contrast enhanced computed tomography showed fluid retention at the right maxillary sinus, left lung ground glass opacity, and bilateral lung irregular opacities without cavitation. Owing to suspected septic shock, fluid resuscitation and a high dose of vasopressors were started. In addition, meropenem, clindamycin, and vancomycin were administered. Repeat computed tomography confirmed left internal jugular and vertebral vein thrombosis. Following this, the patient was diagnosed with Lemierre's syndrome. Furthermore, he went into shock again on day 6 of hospitalization. Additional soft tissue infections were suspected; therefore, bilateral below the knee amputations were performed for source control. Cultures of the exudates from skin lesions and histopathological samples did not identify any pathogens, and histopathological findings showed arterial thrombosis; therefore it was concluded that the second time shock was associated with purpura fulminans. Following this, his general status improved. He was transferred to another hospital for rehabilitation. The blood culture isolates were identified as Gemella bergeri and Eikenella corrodens. Gemella bergeri was identified by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry and confirmed by 16S rRNA gene sequencing later. The primary focus of the infection was thought to be in the right maxillary sinus, because the resolution of the fluid retention was confirmed by repeat computed tomography. CONCLUSIONS: Gemella bergeri can be the causative pathogen of septic shock. If this pathogen cannot be identified manually or through commercial phenotypic methods, 16S rRNA gene sequencing should be considered.

Conventional cardiopulmonary resuscitation-induced refractory cardiac arrest due to latent left ventricular outflow tract obstruction due to a sigmoid septum: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Patients with left ventricular outflow tract obstruction who do not exhibit a dynamic pressure gradient at rest, experience pressure gradient increases of ≥ 30 mmHg only during specific situations; this is called latent left ventricular outflow tract obstruction. It is provoked by increased cardiac contraction and preload and afterload depletion. There are a few reports of patients with it developing cardiac arrest. We present a case of latent left ventricular outflow tract obstruction in which the patient with a sigmoid septum experienced refractory pulseless electrical activity due to conventional advanced cardiac life support. CASE PRESENTATION: A 73-year-old Asian woman on escitalopram and lorazepam was transported to our hospital for chest and back pain with altered consciousness. On arrival, she was in shock and developed pulseless electrical activity. After initiation of conventional cardiopulmonary resuscitation according to adult advanced cardiovascular life support guidelines, she could not regain spontaneous circulation. She was ultimately resuscitated via venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation initiation. The only abnormal laboratory result at admission was anemia. Her hemodynamic status stabilized after red blood cell transfusion, and venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation was subsequently terminated. Transthoracic echocardiography showed a sigmoid septum; dobutamine-infused Doppler echocardiography revealed a significant outflow gradient, and continuous monitoring showed Brockenbrough-Braunwald sign, which confirmed a diagnosis of latent left ventricular outflow tract obstruction due to a sigmoid septum. As a result, carvedilol and verapamil were initiated. A follow-up dobutamine-infused Doppler echocardiography showed a reduction of outflow gradient, and she was discharged without any sequelae. Latent left ventricular outflow tract obstruction worsened due to increasing cardiac contraction and the depletion of preload and afterload. Depleted preload occurred due to dehydration and anemia, whereas depleted afterload occurred due to the prescribed drugs, which subsequently caused pulseless electrical activity. Moreover, ß-stimulation from the adrenaline probably enhanced the hypercontractile state and caused refractory pulseless electrical activity in our case. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with latent left ventricular outflow tract obstruction can progress to cardiogenic shock and pulseless electrical activity due to increased cardiac contraction and depletion of preload and afterload. We should consider the patient's underlying conditions that induced pulseless electrical activity.

A case of circumferential type A aortic dissection with intimal intussusception diagnosed using repeat transthoracic echocardiography examination.

Case: Sometimes it is difficult to diagnose circumferential aortic dissection with enhanced computed tomography alone. A 58-year-old woman presented with sudden-onset chest discomfort and loss of consciousness. Transthoracic echocardiogram showed mild aortic regurgitation. Enhanced computed tomography scans showed no obvious intimal tear or flap at the proximal ascending aorta, but an intimal flap was observed from the aortic arch to both common iliac arteries. Stanford type B dissection was tentatively diagnosed. Repeat detailed transthoracic echocardiography examination showed an intimal tear and flap at the ascending aorta; prolapse into the left ventricle caused severe aortic regurgitation. Type A aortic dissection was definitively diagnosed; emergent operation showed a circumferential intimal tear originating from the ascending aorta. Outcome: The ascending aorta was replaced; aortic regurgitation disappeared. The patient was discharged in a good condition 58 days postoperatively. Conclusion: Dynamic evaluations with transthoracic echocardiography should be carried out to diagnose circumferential aortic dissection.

Chest compression-related fatal internal mammary artery injuries manifesting after venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation: a case series.

BACKGROUND: Cardiopulmonary resuscitation-related bleeding, especially internal mammary artery injuries, can become life-threatening complications after initiating venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation owing to the frequent involvement of concomitant anticoagulant treatment, antiplatelet treatment, targeted temperature management, and bleeding coagulopathy. We report the cases of five patients who experienced this complication and discuss their management. CASE PRESENTATION: We retrospectively evaluated five patients with cardiopulmonary resuscitation-related internal mammary artery injuries who were treated between February 2011 and February 2016 at our institution. All five patients were Asian men, aged 56 to 68-years old, who had received concomitant intravenously administered unfractionated heparin (3000 units) with antiplatelet therapy. Four patients received targeted temperature management. The injuries and hematomas were detected using contrast-enhanced computed tomography in all cases. Three patients were treated using transcatheter arterial embolization within 6 hours following cardiopulmonary arrest, and two were resuscitated and received appropriate treatment following early recognition of their injuries. Two patients died of hemorrhagic shock with delayed intervention. Four of the five patients had excessively prolonged activated partial thromboplastin times before their interventions. CONCLUSIONS: Computed tomography should be performed as soon as possible after the return of spontaneous circulation to identify injuries and consider appropriate treatments for patients who have experienced cardiac arrest. Delayed bleeding may develop after treating hypovolemic shock and relieving arterial spasms; therefore, transcatheter arterial embolization should be performed aggressively to prevent delayed bleeding even in the absence of extravasation. This approach may be superior to thoracotomy because it is less invasive, causes less bleeding, and can selectively stop arterial bleeding sooner. A 3000-unit intravenous bolus of unfractionated heparin may be redundant; heparin-free extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation may be a more appropriate alternative. Unfractionated heparin treatment can commence after the bleeding has stopped.