Pacemaker lead infection is a rare but a dangerous complication. Diagnosis can usually be established by the clinical picture and blood cultures. Transesophageal two dimensional echocardiography might be crucial in the diagnosis by visualizing pacing lead vegetations. Medical treatment alone is rarely successful, and several studies have suggested the infected pacemaker systems should be removed quickly for optimal management. We describe a case of Aspergillus infection in a permanent ventricular pacing lead, which appears to be the first reported case in Korea. A 30-yr-old man was evaluated for the symptoms and signs of congestive heart failure 3 yr after DDD pacemaker implantation. The transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiogram showed a large movable round shaggy mass attached to a ventricular lead in the right atrium. The atrial and ventricular leads were removed during cardiopulmonary bypass, and a new epicardial pacing system was implanted. The functional ventricular pacemaker lead was encased in a large organized thrombus. Histological findings were consistent with Aspergillus infection in a large thrombus attached to a pacemaker lead.
Adult ; Aspergillosis/diagnosis/*etiology/microbiology ; Echocardiography ; Echocardiography, Transesophageal ; Heart Atria/microbiology ; Humans ; Male ; Pacemaker, Artificial/*adverse effects/microbiology ; Thrombosis/diagnosis/*etiology/microbiology

No abstract available.
Acute Disease ; Anti-Bacterial Agents/therapeutic use ; Anticoagulants/therapeutic use ; Brucellosis/*complications/diagnosis/drug therapy/microbiology/transmission ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Thrombophlebitis/etiology ; Treatment Outcome ; Venous Thrombosis/diagnosis/drug therapy/*etiology

Portal vein thrombosis is an uncommon but an important cause of portal hypertension. The most common etiological factors of portal vein thrombosis are liver cirrhosis and malignancy. Albeit rare, portal vein thrombosis can also occur in the presence of local infection and inflammation such as pancreatitis or cholecystitis. A 52-year-old male was admitted because of general weakness and poor oral intake. He had an operation for colon cancer 18 months ago. However, colonic stent had to be inserted afterwards because stricture developed at anastomosis site. Computed tomography taken at admission revealed portal vein thrombosis and inflammation at colonic stent insertion site. Blood culture was positive for Escherichia coli. After antibiotic therapy, portal vein thrombosis resolved. Herein, we report a case of portal vein thrombosis with sepsis caused by inflammation at colonic stent insertion site which was successfully treated with antibiotics.
Anti-Bacterial Agents/therapeutic use ; Cholecystitis/etiology ; Colonic Neoplasms/pathology/therapy ; Escherichia coli/isolation & purification ; Escherichia coli Infections/drug therapy/etiology ; Humans ; Inflammation/*etiology ; Liver/diagnostic imaging ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pancreatitis/etiology ; Portal Vein ; Sepsis/*diagnosis/drug therapy/microbiology ; Sigmoidoscopy ; Stents/*adverse effects ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Venous Thrombosis/complications/*diagnosis