Scleredema is a rare cutaneous mucinosis characterized by chronic diffuse induration of the skin, and it is occasionally associated with a monoclonal gammopathy (MG). Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is noted to be another, chronic systemic inflammatory disorder of the axial skeleton that may accompany the MG. However, patients with scleredema and AS accompanied with a MG have not been reported in the literature. We here report a 40-yr-old man with scleredema and advanced AS accompanied with a MG of IgA-kappa protein. Widespread, long-standing scleredema has been developed over 10 yrs after the initial manifestation of AS. It is uncertain whether the coexistence of scleredema and AS is more than coincidental.
Adult ; Collagen/metabolism ; Human ; Immunoglobulins, kappa-Chain/chemistry ; Inflammation ; Lumbar Vertebrae/radiography ; Male ; Mucins/metabolism ; Paraproteinemias/*complications/diagnosis ; Scleredema Adultorum/*complications/diagnosis ; Skin/pathology ; Spondylitis, Ankylosing/*complications/diagnosis

Diagnostic Errors ; Humans ; Inflammation ; diagnosis ; etiology ; Laryngeal Neoplasms ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Papilloma ; surgery ; Pneumonia ; diagnosis ; Postoperative Complications ; diagnosis

PURPOSE: The congenital H-type rectovestibular fistula, a fistula between the anorectum and genital tract besides a normal anus is a rare variant of anorectal deformities. This disease needs proper treatment but there are no standard of diagnosis and treatment. The purpose of this report is to review a 13-year experience of approach and management for H-type rectovestibular fistula at a single institution. METHODS: From February 2002 to August 2015, we cared for 11 patients who had congenital H-type rectovestibular fistula and reviewed their clinical presentation, accompanied anomalies, diagnostic modalities, operative technique, and postoperative progress. RESULTS: Most patients with H-type rectovestibular fistula presented with symptoms including vestibular defecation and major labial abscess. We could find the fistula tract in most of patients by fistulography using contrast dye. All of the patients had been operated. There were 2 recurrences after surgical treatment who had inflammation and infection associated with the fistula. All other patients recovered without complications. CONCLUSION: We think the operation including fistulectomy and repair of perineal body through a transanal approach can be a feasible option to the congenital H-type rectovestibular fistula. Also, combined inflammation and infection should be treated prior to surgery to reduce postoperative complications.
Abscess ; Anal Canal ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Defecation ; Diagnosis* ; Fistula* ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Postoperative Complications ; Recurrence

The inflammation factors and roles of them in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) were explored. The similarity between the theory of pathogenic toxin in Chinese Medicine and the inflammation response theory in ACS was discussed. The exploration of new inflammatory factors may be helpful for Chinese Medicine in the research of ACS.
Acute Coronary Syndrome ; complications ; diagnosis ; prevention & control ; therapy ; Humans ; Inflammation ; complications ; etiology ; pathology ; therapy ; Inflammation Mediators ; physiology ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Prognosis ; Toxins, Biological ; adverse effects

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is one of the most prevalent functional gastrointestinal disorders. It is a multifactorial disorder with its pathogenesis attributed to abnormal gastrointestinal motility, low-grade inflammation, visceral hypersensitivity, communication in the gut-brain axis, and so on. Traditionally, IBS has been treated with diet and lifestyle modification, fiber supplementation, psychological therapy, and pharmacological treatment. Carbohydrates are intermingled with a wide range of regularly consumed food including grains such as rye and wheat, vegetables, fruits, and legumes. Short-chain carbohydrates that are poorly absorbed exert osmotic effects in the intestinal lumen increasing its water volume, and are rapidly fermented by bacteria with consequent gas production. These effects may be the basis for the induction of most of the gastrointestinal symptoms. This has led to the use of lactose-free diets in those with lactose intolerance and of fructose-reduced diets for fructose malabsorption. As all poorly absorbed short-chain carbohydrates have similar and additive effects in the intestine, a concept has been developed to regard them collectively as FODMAPs (fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyols) and to evaluate a dietary approach that restricts them all. Based on the observational and comparative studies, and randomized-controlled trials, FODMAPs have been shown to trigger gastrointestinal symptoms in patients with IBS. Food choice via the low FODMAPs and potentially other dietary strategies is now a realistic and efficacious therapeutic approach for managing symptoms of IBS.
*Diet, Carbohydrate-Restricted ; Dietary Supplements ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity/complications ; Inflammation/complications ; Intestines/pathology ; Irritable Bowel Syndrome/complications/*diagnosis/diet therapy ; Malabsorption Syndromes/complications ; Monosaccharides/metabolism ; Oligosaccharides/metabolism

PURPOSE: A preoperative biliary drainage procedure (endoscopic nasogastric biliary drainage, ENBD; endoscopic retrograde biliary drainage, ERBD; or percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage, PTBD) is infrequently performed in periampullary cancer patients with obstructive jaundice. Among these different biliary drainage procedures, a safer and more informative procedure should be performed in the indicated cases. However, no comparative study has been done between the two biliary drainage methods (endoscopic vs. percutaneous). The aim of this study is to compare the clinical outcome of these two biliary drainage methods in periampullary cancer and to suggest guidelines for selecting the appropriate preoperative biliary drainage procedure. METHODS: Between January 1996 and June 2002, 25 patients underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy (Whipples' operation or pylorus preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy) after ENBD/ERBD (Group A) due to periampullary cancer. Twenty- five patients who ubderwent PTBD preoperatively were matched with Group A, according to age group, sex, diagnosis, and type of operation during the same period (Group B). RESULTS: There were no differences in operative time, intraoperative/postoperative transfusion, total/postoperative length of hospital stay, incidence of postoperative complication, TNM staging, or perineural/endovascular/endolymphatic invasion. However, the thickness of CBD wall (Group A: Group B=1.78+/-0.55 mm : 1.14+/-0.37 mm, P<0.001) and degree of inflammation of the CBD wall (Group A> Group B, P<0.001) were significantly different between the two groups. CONCLUSION: Although a significant difference of clinical outcome between the two preoperative biliary drainage methods could not be identified in this study, the inflammation of operative field resulting from ENBD/ERBD is expected to cause surgical difficulties and ultimately affect postoperative complications.
Diagnosis ; Drainage* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Inflammation ; Jaundice, Obstructive ; Length of Stay ; Neoplasm Staging ; Operative Time ; Pancreaticoduodenectomy ; Postoperative Complications ; Pylorus

Surgical resection may not be the appropriate first treatment for all intracranial mass lesions, especially for deep or midline lesions. And a precise histopathological diagnosis is mandatory to develop adequate and specific treatments. The advent of modern imaging and CT-compatible stereotactic frames has greatly simplified the performance of streotactic procedure for small and deep seated brain tumors. We present a 44-month experience on 94 stereotactic procedures of intracranial mass lesions, using Brown-Roberts-Wells(BRW) and Cosman-Roberts-Wells(CRW) system. Procedures were undertaken with the patient under the local anesthesia for biopsy(78 procedures), cyst aspiration and/or Ommaya reservoir insertion(9 procedures), and brachytherapy(5 procedures) and under the general anesthesia for stereotactic-guided microsurgery(2 procedures). Procedural objectives were satisfactorily accomplished with no mortality and an overall complication rate of 8.5%(8 of 94 procedures). The postoperative complications were transient and not seriour, except aggravation of obstructive hydrocephalus in two cases of lateral ventricular tumors. Specific and correct histological diagnoses were achieved in 73(94%) of 78 biopsy. We could not obtain a specific diagnosis in 3 cases(2 cases of reactive gliosis, 1 case of necrosis). And in two cases with a diagnosis of anaplastic astrocytoma and oligodendroglioma grade I on the basis of surgical specimens by craniotomy, stereotactic biopsy revealed astrocytoma grade II and nonspecific inflammation respectively. Our data suggest that CT-guided stereotactic biopsy is a reliable and safe method for histologic diagnosis of brain-tumoral conditions and the method of choice for deep-seated and midline lesions.
Anesthesia, General ; Anesthesia, Local ; Astrocytoma ; Biopsy* ; Brain Neoplasms ; Craniotomy ; Diagnosis ; Gliosis ; Humans ; Hydrocephalus ; Inflammation ; Mortality ; Oligodendroglioma ; Postoperative Complications

Surgical resection may not be the appropriate first treatment for all intracranial mass lesions, especially for deep or midline lesions. And a precise histopathological diagnosis is mandatory to develop adequate and specific treatments. The advent of modern imaging and CT-compatible stereotactic frames has greatly simplified the performance of streotactic procedure for small and deep seated brain tumors. We present a 44-month experience on 94 stereotactic procedures of intracranial mass lesions, using Brown-Roberts-Wells(BRW) and Cosman-Roberts-Wells(CRW) system. Procedures were undertaken with the patient under the local anesthesia for biopsy(78 procedures), cyst aspiration and/or Ommaya reservoir insertion(9 procedures), and brachytherapy(5 procedures) and under the general anesthesia for stereotactic-guided microsurgery(2 procedures). Procedural objectives were satisfactorily accomplished with no mortality and an overall complication rate of 8.5%(8 of 94 procedures). The postoperative complications were transient and not seriour, except aggravation of obstructive hydrocephalus in two cases of lateral ventricular tumors. Specific and correct histological diagnoses were achieved in 73(94%) of 78 biopsy. We could not obtain a specific diagnosis in 3 cases(2 cases of reactive gliosis, 1 case of necrosis). And in two cases with a diagnosis of anaplastic astrocytoma and oligodendroglioma grade I on the basis of surgical specimens by craniotomy, stereotactic biopsy revealed astrocytoma grade II and nonspecific inflammation respectively. Our data suggest that CT-guided stereotactic biopsy is a reliable and safe method for histologic diagnosis of brain-tumoral conditions and the method of choice for deep-seated and midline lesions.
Anesthesia, General ; Anesthesia, Local ; Astrocytoma ; Biopsy* ; Brain Neoplasms ; Craniotomy ; Diagnosis ; Gliosis ; Humans ; Hydrocephalus ; Inflammation ; Mortality ; Oligodendroglioma ; Postoperative Complications

PURPOSE: Restorative proctocolectomy (RP) is a standard surgery in patients with ulcerative colitis and familial adenomatous polyposis. Usually, diverting ileostomy is performed to protect an ileoanal anastomosis with RP. However, there are many controversies whether diverting ileostomy might urgently be needed. This study was performed to compare postoperative complications after RP with or without diverting ileostomy. METHODS: Between July 1994 and June 2001, 77 (M : F= 45 : 32) patients underwent RP. The indication criteria for diverting ileostomy included tension at the anastomosis, positive leakage test, compromised blood flow in the ileal pouch, long-term and high-dose steroid use, and severe rectal inflammation in ulcerative colitis patients. RESULTS: Histopathologic diagnoses revealed 45 ulcerative colitis, 23 familial adenomatous polyposis, 5 rectal cancer, and 4 hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer. Diverting ileostomies were performed in 40 patients (51.9%) and closed approximately 4 months later. Fourty eight complications were present in 32 patients. There was no perioperative death. There was no difference in perioperative outcome, morbidity or functional status between patients with and without ileostomy. However, in ulcerative colitis patients, anastomosis leakage was more frequent in patients without ileostomy. CONCLUSIONS: Restorative proctocolectomy can be safely performed without diverting ileostomy in most cases of RP. However, diverting ileostomy may reduce anastomosis leakage in patients with ulcerative colitis.
Adenomatous Polyposis Coli ; Colitis, Ulcerative ; Colorectal Neoplasms, Hereditary Nonpolyposis ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Ileostomy* ; Inflammation ; Postoperative Complications ; Proctocolectomy, Restorative* ; Rectal Neoplasms

Central nervous system involvement in primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS) is less common and usually presents as white matter lesions, neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD), or transverse myelitis. NMOSD is an immune-mediated inflammatory demyelinating disease of the central nervous system with a high rate of relapse and significant disability. Studies have shown that patients with pSS combined with NMOSD have more severe symptoms and poorer prognosis. Here, we present a case of critical illness in pregnancy-associated NMOSD combined with Sjögren's syndrome. The patient was a 30-year-old pregnant woman with a history of Sjögren's syndrome who was diagnosed with NMOSD. She received combination therapy with steroids, intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG), and hydroxychloroquine during pregnancy, resulting in partial resolution of numbness below the waist. However, due to irregular medication adherence outside the hospital setting, she developed weakness in her right lower limb accompanied by inability to move it, while her left lower limb still had some mobility but occasional numbness along with urinary and fecal incontinence. Ten days later, she was admitted to the emergency department where an emergency cesarean section was performed to deliver a healthy baby boy. However, her condition worsened postpartum as she developed high fever accompanied by bilateral lower limb paralysis and weakness along with loss of voluntary control over urination and defecation. The patient underwent ano-ther course of treatment consisting of steroids and IVIG; however there was limited improvement in symptoms observed after this intervention. Following administration of rituximab for the first time, the patient developed urinary tract infection which was successfully managed before continuing regular infusions. In later stages the patient could walk slightly with a limp and regained control over urination and defecation, allowing her to resume normal activities. This case suggests that combination therapy with steroids, IVIG, and hydroxychloroquine should be considered for the patients with pregnancy-associated NMOSD combined with Sjögren's syndrome. Rituximab can significantly improve symptoms such as postpartum paralysis in patients with NMOSD, however, there may be a risk of infection associated with its use.
Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Pregnancy ; Cesarean Section/adverse effects* ; Critical Illness ; Hydroxychloroquine/therapeutic use* ; Hypesthesia/complications* ; Immunoglobulins, Intravenous/therapeutic use* ; Inflammation/complications* ; Neuromyelitis Optica/diagnosis* ; Paralysis/complications* ; Pregnancy Complications/therapy* ; Rituximab/therapeutic use* ; Sjogren's Syndrome/complications* ; Steroids/therapeutic use* ; Vision Disorders