La Revue de médecine interne
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Isolated spontaneous dissection of the superior mesenteric artery is the most common digestive artery dissection. It is a rare cause of acute abdomen. Only a few hundred cases have been reported in the literature. ⋯ Based on this case report, we discuss the etiology of this vascular lesion and the contribution of computed tomography in the diagnosis, the therapeutic strategy and the follow-up of spontaneous dissection of superior mesenteric artery.
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Totally implantable venous access port plays a crucial role in the treatment of patients in oncology. However, its use can result sporadically in catheter fracture with catheter tip embolization into pulmonary arteries. ⋯ We reviewed the literature and the newest guidelines and recommendations to detail the clinico-radiological features, the possible causes of this complication and discussed means to recognize, manage and prevent it.
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Tropheryma whipplei culture and genome sequencing have, thanks to new tools, rationalized both diagnosis and treatment of Whipple's disease. Whipple's disease involves mainly Caucasian male, approximately 50-years-old, suffering from arthralgia, weight loss and diarrhea. A worsening of clinical manifestations after immunosuppressive therapy is frequently observed while antibiotics prescribed for another infection improves the clinical status. ⋯ PCR and culture (particularly for cerebrospinal fluid) performed on various tissues and fluids allow the localized infections diagnosis. In classic Whipple's disease, the treatment with doxycycline (200mg/day) and hydroxychloroquine (600 mg/day) for a length of 12 months followed by a lifetime treatment by doxycycline (200 mg/day) should be recommended to avoid reinfection. In localized infections, a treatment with doxycycline (200mg/day) and hydroxychloroquine (600 mg/day) is proposed for 12 to 18 months followed by a lifetime follow-up.
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Hypophysitis is a rare disorder. As clinical manifestations and radiologic signs are non specific, the diagnosis is difficult. Pathogenesis of hypophysitis remains largely unknown but new histological and etiological variants have been recently reported. ⋯ An entity of IgG4 related plasmatic hypophysitis has been described and well-defined diagnostic criteria have been proposed. Monoclonal antibodies directed against the cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen-4 (CTLA-4), investigated in metastatic cancer, can induce hypophysitis. Several candidate pituitary auto-antigens have been described in the last decade, although none has proven to be useful as a diagnostic tool.