Necrotic cardiac haemangioma masquerading as sepsis with disseminated intravascular coagulation

ABSTRACT

Hong Kong Med J 2005;11:308-10 | Number 4, August 2005
CASE REPORT
Necrotic cardiac haemangioma masquerading as sepsis with disseminated intravascular coagulation
TS Tse, KL Tsui, LC Ling, WH Chui, MC Choi, SK Li, CSW Chiu
Department of Medicine, Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital, Chai Wan, Hong Kong
 
 
Cardiac haemangiomas are exceptionally rare benign vascular tumours. We report a case of cardiac haemangioma presenting with pyrexia of unknown origin and clinical features simulating sepsis with disseminated intravascular coagulation. The clinical course was complicated by systemic embolism.
 
Key words: Disseminated intravascular coagulation; Heart neoplasms; Hemangioma; Sepsis
 
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Benign metastasising leiomyoma: a rare but possible cause of bilateral pulmonary nodules in Chinese patients

ABSTRACT

Hong Kong Med J 2005;11:303-6 | Number 4, August 2005
CASE REPORT
Benign metastasising leiomyoma: a rare but possible cause of bilateral pulmonary nodules in Chinese patients
JWM Chan, WL Law, SOY Cheung, MP Lee, CK Ng, S Lee, KM Ko, CC Ma, JYS Liu, TM Chan, TYW Mok
Department of Medicine, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, 30 Gascoigne Road, Kowloon, Hong Kong
 
 
We report three cases of benign metastasising leiomyoma, which is a rare cause of multiple lung nodules, in three Hong Kong Chinese females. One patient presented with pleuritic chest pain, another was asymptomatic, while the last presented with haemoptysis. All three patients had previously undergone surgical resection of uterine leiomyomas. Multiple lung nodules mimicking lung metastases were demonstrated on chest radiographs, and all three diagnoses were obtained from lung biopsies. Hormonal therapy was given to two patients with variable responses. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of benign metastasising leiomyoma in Hong Kong Chinese population. It highlights the importance of considering this rare and benign disease in premenopausal females presenting with multiple lung nodules.
 
Key words: Hormone replacement therapy; Leiomyoma; Lung neoplasms; Neoplasms metastasis; Uterine neoplasms
 
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Partial rhombencephalosynapsis and Chiari II malformation

ABSTRACT

Hong Kong Med J 2005;11:299-302 | Number 4, August 2005
CASE REPORT
Partial rhombencephalosynapsis and Chiari II malformation
SMY Wan, PL Khong, P Ip, GC Ooi
Department of Diagnostic Radiology, University of Hong Kong, Queen Mary Hospital, Pokfulam, Hong Kong
 
 
We report a rare case of partial rhombencephalosynapsis coexistent with Chiari II malformation in a 6-year-old girl and discuss the features of these entities on magnetic resonance imaging.
 
Key words: Arnold-Chiari malformation; Cerebellum; Child; Magnetic resonance imaging; Rhombencephalon
 
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Recurrent variceal bleeding in a young woman

ABSTRACT

Hong Kong Med J 2005;11:295-8 | Number 4, August 2005
CASE REPORT
Recurrent variceal bleeding in a young woman
VKS Leung, TKL Loke, ISC Luk, PCW Lui, NNS Kung, SH Lam
Department of Medicine and Geriatrics, United Christian Hospital, Kwun Tong, Hong Kong
 
 
Congenital hepatic fibrosis is an uncommon fibrocystic disorder affecting the intrahepatic bile ducts. It has autosomal recessive inheritance. The main consequence of this condition is portal hypertension and it is often misdiagnosed as cirrhosis. Patients with congenital hepatic fibrosis usually present during childhood or early adolescence with oesophageal variceal bleeding. Portosystemic shunt surgery is the treatment of choice for these patients as the risk of postoperative hepatic encephalopathy is low. We report a patient with congenital hepatic fibrosis who presented with oesophageal variceal bleeding at the age of 16 years, initially misdiagnosed as having cryptogenic liver cirrhosis. The patient experienced two further episodes of oesophageal variceal bleeding in subsequent years. She eventually underwent portosystemic shunt surgery. One year after the operation, the shunt remained patent on Doppler ultrasonography, and there had been no further episodes of variceal bleeding post-surgery.
 
Key words: Cholangiography; Hypertension, portal; Liver cirrhosis; Liver diseases
 
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Epigastric pain in a patient with neurofibromatosis type 1

ABSTRACT

Hong Kong Med J 2005;11:213-5 | Number 3, June 2005
CASE REPORT
Epigastric pain in a patient with neurofibromatosis type 1
VKS Leung, SW Lee, NWF Yuen, NNS Kung, TKL Loke
Department of Medicine and Geriatrics, United Christian Hospital, Kwun Tong, Hong Kong
 
 
Patients with neurofibromatosis type 1 are at increased risk of developing carcinoid tumours of the duodenum, particularly in the ampulla of Vater. Aggressive surgery with pancreatoduodenectomy is recommended for all ampullary carcinoid tumours because of their propensity to metastasise. We report a case of a 43-year-old woman with neurofibromatosis type 1, who presented with recurrent epigastric pain for 15 months. Evaluation using magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography and side-viewing duodenoscopy revealed a submucosal tumour at the ampulla of Vater causing pancreatobiliary ductal obstruction and dilation. The ampullary tumour was overlooked initially by forward-viewing endoscopy. The patient subsequently underwent pancreatoduodenectomy. Histological examination of the surgically resected specimen confirmed the presence of a carcinoid tumour, with metastasis to peri-pancreatic lymph nodes. She remained asymptomatic 10 months after surgery.
 
Key words: Ampullar of Vater; Carcinoid tumor; Neurofibromatosis 1
 
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Paradoxical deterioration during anti-tubercular treatment in a dialysis patient on maintenance steroid therapy

ABSTRACT

Hong Kong Med J 2005;11:210-2 | Number 3, June 2005
CASE REPORT
Paradoxical deterioration during anti-tubercular treatment in a dialysis patient on maintenance steroid therapy
IFN Hung, VCC Cheng, WK Lo, S Lui
Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Tung Wah Hospital, Hong Kong
 
 
We report a 38-year-old Chinese woman with lupus nephritis on peritoneal dialysis and long-term maintenance steroid therapy. This patient developed paradoxical deterioration during anti-tubercular therapy for tuberculous lymphadenitis. The deterioration resolved spontaneously without change to pharmacotherapy. Paradoxical deterioration that may spontaneously resolve is a potential complication of anti-tubercular treatment in patients on long-term renal replacement therapy.
 
Key words: Antitubercular agents; Peritoneal dialysis; Steroids; Tuberculosis
 
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Spinocerebellar ataxia type 6

ABSTRACT

Hong Kong Med J 2005;11:207-9 | Number 3, June 2005
CASE REPORT
Spinocerebellar ataxia type 6
KK Lau, KM Au, ML Chen, HL Li, B Sheng, AYW Chan
Department of Medicine and Geriatrics, Princess Margaret Hospital, Laichikok, Kowloon, Hong Kong
 
 
We report a 39-year-old woman with spinocerebellar ataxia type 6. She presented with ataxia and a 3-year history of progressive ataxia and recurrent falls. There was no relevant family history. Genetic tests revealed an expanded allele of 24 CAG repeats at the spinocerebellar ataxia type 6 locus. This appears to be the first case reported in Hong Kong. As genetic testing becomes more widely available and clinical awareness increases, more such patients are expected to be diagnosed.
 
Key words: Alleles; Calcium channels; Genes, dominant; Spinocerebellar ataxias; Trinucleotide repeats
 
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Granulocytic sarcoma of the small bowel causing intestinal obstruction

ABSTRACT

Hong Kong Med J 2005;11:204-6 | Number 3, June 2005
CASE REPORT
Granulocytic sarcoma of the small bowel causing intestinal obstruction
SW Wong, CKC Lai, KF Lee, PBS Lai
Department of Surgery, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, Hong Kong
 
 
Granulocytic sarcomas of the small bowel are rare. They are discrete tumours of leukaemic myeloblasts and partially matured granulocytes that form in any part of the body. This disease is infrequently seen in patients with acute myeloid leukaemia, and rarely seen in patients without leukaemia. Here we report a case of small bowel obstruction due to granulocytic sarcoma of mid-ileum in a non-leukaemic patient. We also review the literature on treatment and prognosis of this condition.
 
Key words: Intestinal neoplasms; Intestinal obstruction; Leukemia, myeloid; Sarcoma, granulocytic
 
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Resistance to thyroid hormone in a Chinese family with R429Q mutation in the thyroid hormone receptor beta gene

ABSTRACT

Hong Kong Med J 2005;11:125-9 | Number 2, April 2005
CASE REPORT
Resistance to thyroid hormone in a Chinese family with R429Q mutation in the thyroid hormone receptor beta gene
APS Kong, CW Lam, AOK Chan, SF Yiu, SC Tiu
Department of Medicine, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, 30 Gascoigne Road, Hong Kong
 
 
The combination of elevated serum levels of free thyroid hormones with non-suppressed thyroid-stimulating hormone suggests the differential diagnoses of resistance to thyroid hormone or thyroid-stimulating hormone–secreting pituitary tumour. Clinical differentiation of these two conditions can be difficult, because patients with thyroid hormone resistance may exhibit various combinations of hypermetabolic and hypometabolic features, and laboratory results have limited sensitivity and specificity. We report a case of resistance to thyroid hormone in a Chinese family that illustrates this difficulty. The diagnosis could only be confirmed by the identification of a known disease-causing mutation in the thyroid hormone receptor beta gene in peripheral leukocytes. Availability of genetic tests will identify more cases in the future and improve our understanding of this condition.
 
Key words: Chinese; Thyroid hormone receptors beta; Thyroid hormone resistance syndrome
 
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Candida tropicalis arthritis of the knee in a patient with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia: successful treatment with caspofungin

ABSTRACT

Hong Kong Med J 2005;11:120-3 | Number 2, April 2005
CASE REPORT
Candida tropicalis arthritis of the knee in a patient with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia: successful treatment with caspofungin
JPY Sim, BCS Kho, HSY Liu, R Yung, JCW Chan
Department of Medicine, Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital, 3 Lok Man Road, Chai Wan, Hong Kong
 
 
Candida arthritis in patients with a haematological malignancy is rare. We report a case of Candida tropicalis arthritis of the knee that occurred in a patient with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia during the recovery phase of post-chemotherapy neutropenia. Although the Candida tropicalis isolates from synovial fluid and synovial tissue were sensitive to fluconazole in vitro, a 6-week course of oral treatment failed to produce clinical improvement. The arthritis resolved after 7 weeks of combination therapy with caspofungin, a new echinocandin class of antifungal agent that acts primarily on the cell wall. Eleven other reports of Candida arthritis in patients with a haematological malignancy were reviewed.
 
Key words: Antifungal agents; Arthritis, infectious; Candidiasis; Knee joint; Leukemia, lymphocyte, acute
 
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