RESUMEN
We present a case of a woman in her 20s who presented to the emergency department with a 1-month history of blurry vision, lower extremity weakness in both legs and progressive numbness involving the feet and anterior chest. On admission, the patient was unable to ambulate. She was 3 months status post laparoscopic vertical sleeve gastrectomy for weight loss and using transdermal vitamin patches for nutritional supplementation. Laboratory values revealed low levels of vitamin B1, vitamin A, vitamin D, folic acid and copper levels. The patient was diagnosed with Wernicke encephalopathy and possible peripheral neuropathy secondary to thiamine deficiency. She was started on intravenous thiamine 500 mg three times a day and folate 1 mg one time a day for 3 days and then transitioned to oral thiamine 500 mg along with a multivitamin tablet. Improvement in ophthalmoplegia, weakness, sensation and cognition was noticed after initiating treatment.
Asunto(s)
Gastrectomía , Deficiencia de Tiamina , Tiamina , Encefalopatía de Wernicke , Humanos , Encefalopatía de Wernicke/etiología , Encefalopatía de Wernicke/diagnóstico , Encefalopatía de Wernicke/tratamiento farmacológico , Femenino , Deficiencia de Tiamina/etiología , Deficiencia de Tiamina/complicaciones , Gastrectomía/efectos adversos , Tiamina/uso terapéutico , Tiamina/administración & dosificación , Adulto , Ácido Fólico/administración & dosificación , Ácido Fólico/uso terapéutico , Complejo Vitamínico B/administración & dosificación , Complejo Vitamínico B/uso terapéutico , Complicaciones Posoperatorias/etiologíaRESUMEN
OBJECTIVES: Anti-neurofascin-155 IgG4 (NF-155) antibody disease has previously been associated with a subset of patients with chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy. We report a case of NF-155 positive polyneuropathy that initially presented as an acute inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy. The patient responded appropriately to treatment but subsequently progressed over a 3-month period, resulting in quadriplegia, areflexia, and oculobulbar paralysis. METHODS: Case report and literature review. RESULTS: A 40-year-old male presented with acute bilateral arm and thigh weakness, areflexia, and distal sensory loss. Treatment with intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) for acute acquired demyelinating neuropathy resulted in initial improvement but subsequent decline. Lack of response to additional IVIg and plasmapheresis (PLEX) prompted testing for NF-155. Treatment with rituximab and steroids resulted in virtually complete recovery. CONCLUSIONS: Early testing for nodal and paranodal proteins is indicated in patients who present with acute acquired demyelinating neuropathy but fail to respond to conventional treatments, such as IVIg or PLEX. Identification of nodal and paranodal antibodies should prompt treatment with rituximab and steroids to increase likelihood of recovery.
Asunto(s)
Inmunoglobulina G , Polirradiculoneuropatía Crónica Inflamatoria Desmielinizante , Adulto , Humanos , Masculino , Inmunoglobulinas Intravenosas/uso terapéutico , Polirradiculoneuropatía Crónica Inflamatoria Desmielinizante/complicaciones , Polirradiculoneuropatía Crónica Inflamatoria Desmielinizante/tratamiento farmacológico , Rituximab , EsteroidesRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: In children, decompressive craniectomy is commonly performed in cases of increased intracranial pressure that is not medically managed. Currently, it is standard practice to perform cranioplasty after decompressive craniectomy, although optimal timing for the procedure remains controversial. To date, few studies have reported spontaneous cranial bone regeneration in children without intervention. CASE DESCRIPTION: A 7-year-old female presented with frontotemporal bone fractures accompanied by dura mater lacerations and brain edema after a motor vehicle accident. She underwent a large decompressive craniectomy and repair of the lacerated dura with a collagen dural substitute. The patient was discharged from the hospital and did not present for follow-up until 10 months after surgery. At that time, computed tomography imaging revealed remarkable spontaneous bone regeneration. With conservative management, she developed enough bone regeneration in the calvarial defect area that cranioplasty surgery was deemed unnecessary. To this date, the patient has no aesthetic deformation of the skull bone and does not exhibit any residual cognitive impairment or motor deficits. CONCLUSIONS: This case report shows that cranial bone regeneration is possible in children older than 6 years old, bypassing the need for cranioplasty after decompressive craniectomy. On the basis of this observation, we recommend that more studies should be performed to identify the factors involved in spontaneous skull bone regeneration in the pediatric population.
Asunto(s)
Regeneración Ósea , Craniectomía Descompresiva , Cráneo , Accidentes de Tránsito , Niño , Femenino , Humanos , Cráneo/diagnóstico por imagen , Cráneo/lesiones , Cráneo/cirugíaRESUMEN
Over the past decade, significant improvements have been made in the treatment of chronic hepatitis C (CHC), especially with the introduction of combined therapy using both interferon and ribavarin. The optimal dose and duration of treatment is still a matter of debate and, importantly, the efficacy of this combined treatment varies with the viral genotype responsible for infection. In general, patients infected with viral genotypes 2 or 3 more readily achieve a sustained viral response than those infected with viral genotype 1. The introduction of a pegylated version of interferon in the past decade has produced better clinical outcomes in patients infected with viral genotype 1. However, the published literature shows no improvement in clinical outcomes in patients infected with viral genotypes 2 or 3 when they are treated with pegylated interferon as opposed to non-pegylated interferon, both given in combination with ribavarin. This is significant because the cost of a 24-wk treatment with pegylated interferon in less-developed countries is between six and 30 times greater than that of treatment with interferon. Thus, clinicians need to carefully consider the cost-versus-benefit of using pegylated interferon to treat CHC, particularly when there is no evidence for clinically measurable benefits in patients with genotypes 2 and 3 infections.