BACKGROUND: Listeria monocytogenes (L. monocytogenes) is a rare causative pathogen of brain abscess that is often found in immunocompromised patients. Although patients with supratentorial listerial abscesses showed a longer survival with surgical drainage, the standard therapy for patients with subtentorial lesions has not been established. CASE REPORT: We report herein a patient with supra- and subtentorial brain abscesses caused by L. monocytogenes infection. These abscesses did not respond to antibiotics, and his symptoms gradually worsened. Drainage was not indicated for subtentorial lesions, and the patient was additionally treated with hyperbaric oxygen therapy, which dramatically reduced the volume of abscesses and improved the symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first report of drastic therapy for a patient with listerial brain abscesses involving combined antibiotics and hyperbaric oxygen therapy. The findings suggest that hyperbaric oxygen therapy is a good option for treating patients with deep-seated listerial abscesses and for who surgical drainage is not indicated.
Abscess ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Anti-Infective Agents* ; Brain Abscess* ; Drainage ; Humans ; Hyperbaric Oxygenation* ; Immunocompromised Host ; Listeria monocytogenes

A 62-year-old man was referred to our hospital because of dyspnea. Electrocardiogram showed chronic atrial fibrillation and echocardiogram revealed severe tricuspid regurgitation. His history included a motorbike accident at age 17, and a heart murmur was pointed out in the following year. He developed paroxysmal atrial fibrillation when he was 45 years old. Heart failure was not controlled by medication and tricuspid valve repair was indicated. At surgery, the anterior leaflet of tricuspid valve was widely prolapsed due to chordal rupture. We performed chordal reconstruction with 4 expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (CV-5®) sutures, and ring annuloplasty. Furthermore, a small fenestration at the tricuspid annulus was noticed and was closed with a direct suture. The biatrial modified Maze procedure was performed subsequently. The patient is doing well without TR recurrence, and restored sinus rhythm is maintained. We report successful repair of traumatic tricuspid regurgitation.

Dynamic X-ray (DXR) is a functional imaging technique that uses sequential images obtained by a flat-panel detector (FPD).This article aims to describe the mechanism of DXR and the analysis methods used as well as review the clinical evidence for its use. DXR analyzes dynamic changes on the basis of X-ray translucency and can be used for analysis of diaphragmatic kinetics, ventilation, and lung perfusion. It offers many advantages such as a high temporal resolution and flexibility in body positioning. Many clinical studies have reported the feasibility of DXR and its characteristic findings in pulmonary diseases. DXR may serve as an alternative to pulmonary function tests in patients requiring contact inhibition, including patients with suspected or confirmed coronavirus disease 2019 or other infectious diseases. Thus, DXR has a great potential to play an important role in the clinical setting. Further investigations are needed to utilize DXR more effectively and to establish it as a valuable diagnostic tool.

Dynamic X-ray (DXR) is a functional imaging technique that uses sequential images obtained by a flat-panel detector (FPD).This article aims to describe the mechanism of DXR and the analysis methods used as well as review the clinical evidence for its use. DXR analyzes dynamic changes on the basis of X-ray translucency and can be used for analysis of diaphragmatic kinetics, ventilation, and lung perfusion. It offers many advantages such as a high temporal resolution and flexibility in body positioning. Many clinical studies have reported the feasibility of DXR and its characteristic findings in pulmonary diseases. DXR may serve as an alternative to pulmonary function tests in patients requiring contact inhibition, including patients with suspected or confirmed coronavirus disease 2019 or other infectious diseases. Thus, DXR has a great potential to play an important role in the clinical setting. Further investigations are needed to utilize DXR more effectively and to establish it as a valuable diagnostic tool.