A case of typical pulmonary carcinoid tumor treated with bronchoscopic therapy followed by lobectomy

Carcinoid bronchopulmonary tumors represent approximately 25% of all carcinoid tumors and 1%–2% of all lung neoplasms. The most common symptoms are: persistent cough, asthma-like wheezing, chest pain, dyspnea, hemoptysis and obstructive pneumonitis. We present a case of a young adult diagnosed with a typical carcinoid tumor. The diagnosis was established on the basis of imaging examination and bronchoscopic biopsy. The patient was treated with bronchoscopic electrocautery therapy to relieve the obstructed airway, followed by surgical lobectomy in order to entirely remove the exophytic damage. This approach was not only a palliative management to bronchial obstruction but also avoided pneumonectomy. Recent studies support the use of such interventional resection methods, as they may result in a more conservative surgical resection

Current surgical status of thyroid diseases

Thyroid nodules are a common clinical problem for surgeons. The clinical importance of nodules is the need to exclude thyroid cancer, which occurs in 5%–15% of patients. If fine needle aspiration cytology is positive, or suspicious for malignancy, surgery is recommended. During the past decade, with the tendency to develop smaller incisions, an endoscopic approach has been applied to thyroid surgery, called minimally invasive video-assisted thyroidectomy. This approach was immediately followed by other minimally invasive or scarless neck techniques, such as the breast approach, axillary-breast approach, and robot-assisted method. All these techniques follow the same principles of surgery and oncology. This review presents the current surgical management of the thyroid gland, including the surgical techniques and compares them by describing benefits and drawbacks of each one

Subclavian thrombosis in a patient with advanced lung cancer: a case report

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>Lung cancer is now considered the most common cause of death among cancer patients. Although target biological regimens have emerged in recent years for non-small cell lung carcinoma, the survival and quality of life of patients with this condition still remain low. The five-year survival rate for all stages of lung cancer is 17% or less.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>We describe the case of a 53-year-old Caucasian woman who was diagnosed with advanced stage IIIa (T2aN₂M₀) non-small cell lung carcinoma (adenocarcinoma) and underwent a complete left upper lobectomy three years ago. After two and a half years of follow-up, she suddenly presented with facial edema and venous distension and was immediately treated for superior vena cava syndrome. Because of a diagnostic check, a major clot was detected in the right subclavian vein. Our patient was informed about treatment options, and she was taken to the catheterization laboratory for percutaneous stenting of the superior vena cava to restore superior vena cava patency.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Lung cancer has a vast number of complications. Superior vena cava syndrome and thrombosis should be considered upon the presentation of a patient with obstructive symptoms. In this case report, even though we expected the clot to be on the side of the former lesion, it was present on the opposite side. Treatment should also start immediately in these patients with clinical suspicion of thrombosis to avoid further complications, even in cases with a differential diagnosis problem. Finally, although patients with non-small cell lung carcinoma have a high incidence of thromboembolic events, anticoagulant treatment is given only as maintenance therapy after a first event occurs.</p

Crohn’s Disease Associated Pyoderma Gangrenosum Treated with Adalimumab

Pyoderma gangrenosum is a known, though infrequent, ulcerative skin lesion that is often associated with systemic inflammatory and immunologic diseases. Objective: To present the efficacy of Adalimumab, a fully human Tumour Necrosis Factor-α antagonist, in the treatment of pyoderma gangrenosum associated with Crohn’s disease. Methods: A young male patient with pyoderma gangrenosum of the shin as the first sign of clinically active Crohn’s disease, who was treated with Adalimumab, is herein presented. Results: Almost complete healing of the lesion was achieved after 12 weeks of treatment. Conclusions: Successful treatment outcome suggests that Adalimumab is not only a therapeutic option for Crohn’s disease but may also be a safe and effective therapy for Pyoderma gangrenosum associated with the disease. Pyoderma gangrenosum should be suspected in any cutaneous ulcerative lesion occurring in patients with Crohn’s disease

Tuberculosis in the Peritoneum: Not Too Rare After All

Peritoneal tuberculosis is rare with increased incidence rates in recent years. The absence of characteristic clinical features of the disease often makes its diagnosis difficult and elusive. We present the case of 61-year-old female with peritoneal tuberculosis. The patient suffered from abdominal pain for a period of 5 months prior to admission. The diagnosis was established on the basis of findings from an abdominal computed tomography scan, a chest radiograph and histopathological analysis of the laparoscopic resection of the two masses. The patient was discharged from hospital receiving a fourfold antituberculous treatment with isoniazid, rifampicin, pyrazinamide and ethambutol. A high index of suspicion and a combination of radiologic, endoscopic, microbiologic and histopathological examination achieves diagnostic accuracy and prevents clinical mismanagement

Benign Post-Radiation Rectal Stricture Treated with Endoscopic Balloon Dilation and Intralesional Triamcinolone Injection

Post-radiation stricture is a rare complication after pelvis irradiation, but must be in the mind of the clinician evaluating a lower gastrointestinal obstruction. Endoscopy has gained an important role in chronic radiation proctitis with several therapeutic options for management of intestinal strictures. The treatment of rectal strictures has been limited to surgery with high morbidity and mortality. Therefore, a less invasive therapeutic approach for benign rectal strictures, endoscopic balloon dilation with or without intralesional steroid injection, has become a common treatment modality. We present a case of benign post-radiation rectal stricture treated successfully with balloon dilation and adjuvant intralesional triamcinolone injection. A 70-year-old woman presented to the emergency room complaining for 2 weeks of diarrhea and meteorism, 11 years after radiation of the pelvis due to adenocarcinoma of the uterus. Colonoscopy revealed a stricture at the rectum and multiple endoscopic biopsies were obtained from the stricture. The stricture was treated with endoscopic balloon dilation and intralesional triamcinolone injection. The procedure appears to have a high success rate and a very low complication rate. Histologic examination of the biopsies revealed non-specific inflammatory changes of the rectal mucosa and no specific changes of the mucosa due to radiation. All biopsies were negative for malignancy. The patient is stricture-free 12 months post-treatment