Internal medicine
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Focal dystonia (FD) can develop after thalamic lesions. Abnormal somatic sensations were argued to be responsible for FD. ⋯ FD-like symptoms improved while the skin was being pulled or the deep tissue was being pushed in a manner proportional to the strength of muscle contractions. Therefore, the lack of these sensations was suggested to be related to FD-like symptoms.
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Case Reports
Purulent Pericarditis due to Pneumococcal Bacteremia Caused by Acupuncture: An Autopsy Case Report.
Purulent pericarditis is an infection of the pericardial cavity that produces purulent fluid and is commonly caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae. We herein report an autopsy case that is unique in two respects: the patient had pneumococcal bacteremia from a skin and soft tissue infection associated with acupuncture as well as purulent pericarditis from pneumococcal bacteremia. This case suggests that bloodstream infection should be included in the differential diagnosis on observing pneumococcal pericarditis. Furthermore, it is necessary to recognize that S. pneumoniae may be the organism responsible for skin and soft tissue infections caused by trauma in immunosuppressed patients.
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Revascularization for common carotid artery (CCA) occlusion might be difficult. We reported our strategy for revascularizing CCA occlusion by giant clots. A 94-year-old woman was transferred to our hospital because of right hemiparesis and aphasia. ⋯ We performed mechanical thrombectomy using a 9-Fr balloon-guiding catheter, stent retriever, and aspiration catheter through a 9-Fr long-sheath introducer [long-sheath introducer-assisted revascularization (L-SHARE) technique]. We successfully recanalized CCA occlusion using this method. The L-SHARE technique might be useful for recanalization of CCA occlusion.
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A 36-year-old Japanese man presented with cavities and nodular shadows in the lower lobes of his lungs and osteolytic lesions in the thoracic spine. He was diagnosed with multisystem Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH). ⋯ Relapse or progression may occur in cases where PLCH lesions improve after smoking cessation. Thus, close follow-up is vital.
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Case Reports
A Case of Japanese Spotted Fever Associated with Mild Encephalitis/Encephalopathy with a Reversible Splenial Lesion.
A 58-year-old woman had disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) and septic shock caused by Japanese spotted fever (JSF). Following treatment with minocycline, her general condition gradually improved; however, her disorientation persisted. ⋯ Thereafter, her consciousness gradually improved, but she continued to experience difficulty concentrating and attention deficits. MERS type II may take longer to improve than type I, and long-term follow-up is required.