Malignant melanocytic neoplasm of pancreas with liver metastasis: Is it malignant melanoma or clear cell sarcoma?

Malignant melanocytic neoplasm, usually seen in soft tissues, is rare in a visceral location and presents as a diagnostic dilemma. We present a case of pancreatic malignant melanocytic neoplasm with liver metastasis. A 58-year-old man presented with left upper abdominal swelling and loss of appetite. Imaging revealed a large mass arising from the pancreatic tail, and this was diagnosed as malignant neoplasm with melanocytic differentiation on biopsy with the possible differentials of malignant melanoma, clear cell sarcoma (CCS), and perivascular epithelioid cell neoplasm. The patient underwent distal pancreatectomy and splenectomy for the same. Follow-up imaging 6 months later showed a metastatic liver lesion, for which he also underwent a liver resection. BRAF mutational analysis was found to be negative. Both CCS and malignant melanoma have similar morphological features and melanocytic differentiation, but each harbors a distinct genetic background. Differentiation of both has diagnostic and therapeutic implications

A rare cause of anuria: Bilateral synchronous isolated mid-ureteric tubercular lesions

A young female presenting with right flank pain, fever, raised creatinine and bilateral hydronephrosis was treated with antibiotics elsewhere, with presumptive diagnosis of bilateral pyelonephritis. She had partial relief in symptoms and her creatinine level showed an improvement. Three months later during evaluation at our center she had anuria, hypertensive crisis and pulmonary edema which were managed with emergency bilateral percutaneous nephrostomies. Cross-sectional imaging and ureteroscopy suggested bilateral synchronous intramural mid-ureteric lesions as underlying pathology. Histopathology of the ureteric segments during laparotomy revealed caseating granulomas suggestive of tuberculosis. This clinical presentation has not been previously described in urinary tuberculosis

Bronchial Dieulafoy's disease: A series of seven cases with review of the literature

Abstract Bronchial Dieulafoy's disease (BDD), remains poorly understood, with only 88 cases reported globally. Herein, we present the largest case series (n = 7) from a single centre, between 2017 and 2023, retrospectively reviewed, detailing clinical presentations, diagnoses, management and up to 4‐year follow‐up outcomes. Diagnosis relied on characteristic lesions detected through white light bronchoscopy with or without endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) or narrow band imaging (NBI), along with computed tomography (CT) scans or bronchial angiography. Identification of aberrant vessels beneath lesions and bronchoscopy details were documented. Treatment modalities and follow‐up outcomes until December 2023 were noted. All patients were non‐smokers. Review of imaging findings by an experienced radiologist was crucial in suspected cases due to risk of bleeding and often unconclusive results from biopsy. Management of BDD varied, with six patients undergoing bronchial artery embolization (BAE) and one requiring lobectomy; four patients received additional endobronchial therapy, one died due to malignancy, none experienced recurrence of haemoptysis. Identifying patients with large volume haemoptysis disproportionate to parenchymal disease in CT scans is important. A bronchoscopic surveillance is crucial to avoid biopsy; it can be confirmed using EBUS of NBI. While no established guidelines exist, BAE and endobronchial therapy emerge as valuable interventions, with surgical resection reserved for recurrent cases

A plant pathogen in a human host! A case report and a review of literature

In this case report, we present a renal transplant recipient who developed an infection due to a plant pathogen – Pantoea agglomerans. This pathogen is a rare organism with no case reports in a renal transplant recipient from India so far. A 50-year-old renal transplant recipient presented with fever for 20 days associated with productive cough and upper back pain. She had received her graft kidney 8 months earlier in a deceased donor program in her local state. In the immediate postoperative period, she had one episode of a mixed rejection, which required a course of antithymocyte globulin and plasmapheresis. On examination, tenderness was noted in her upper back over the cervical and thoracic vertebrae. Her computed tomography scan showed a collection over the cervical vertebrae and consolidation in the lung. Blood culture grew P. agglomerans. P. agglomerans is a rare plant pathogen usually occurring after trauma involving organic debris being deposited within the body. Spontaneously occurring infection is seen only in special situations such as immunocompromised states, malignancy, or excessive antacid use. It has been known to cause lung infections, bone and joint infections, and fever with systemic signs. Spontaneously occurring infections like in this patient are very rare with a handful of case reports worldwide. In an immunocompromised host, a multitude of infections can occur. This case report highlights the importance of removing unnecessary medication from our transplant recipients and optimizing immunosuppression while pursuing the underlying microbiologic cause of infection aggressively

Mean Platelet Volume in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Context: diabetes mellitus is a global pandemic. The increased platelet activity may play a role in the development of vascular complications of this metabolic disorder. The mean platelet volume (MPV) is an indicator of the average size and activity of platelets. Larger platelets are younger and exhibit more activity. Aims: to determine the MPV in diabetics compared to nondiabetics, to see if there is a difference in MPV between diabetics with and without vascular complications, and to determine the correlation of MPV with fasting blood glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), body-mass index, and duration of diabetes in the diabetic patients. Materials and Methods: platelet counts and MPV were measured in 300 Type 2 diabetic patients and 300 nondiabetic subjects using an automated blood cell counter. The blood glucose levels and HbA1c levels were also measured. Statistical evaluation was performed by SPSS using Student’s t test and Pearson correlation tests. Results: the mean platelet counts and MPV were higher in diabetics compared to the nondiabetic subjects [277.46 ± 81 X 109/l vs. 269.79 ± 78 X 109/l (P= 0.256)], 8.29 ± 0.74 fl versus 7.47 ± 0.73 fl (P= 0.001), respectively. MPV showed a strong positive correlation with fasting blood glucose, postprandial glucose and HbA1C levels (P=0.001). Conclusions: our results showed significantly higher MPV in diabetic patients than in the nondiabetic subjects. This indicates that elevated MPV could be either the cause for or due to the effect of the vascular complications. Hence, platelets may play a role and MPV can be used as a simple parameter to assess the vascular events in diabetes