Free-floating thrombus (FFT) in the carotid artery has been reported as a rare cause of acute ischaemic stroke. There are various treatment strategies, but higher risk of distal embolism may limit their applicability. A 77-year-old woman noticed right upper arm weakness. A CT angiogram revealed that a large floating thrombus had strayed across the carotid bifurcation, while another thrombus was present in the right axillary artery. As for the carotid FFT, in spite of anticoagulation therapy, the number of asymptomatic microthrombuses gradually increased on diffusion-weighted MRI. We performed endovascular therapy utilising two temporary occlusion balloon catheters and performed direct aspiration with a reperfusion catheter. The procedure was uneventful. We successfully performed a new endovascular technique for FFT in the carotid bifurcation. Our method is effective, minimally invasive and safe.

Case There are several reports of retroperitoneal hemorrhage induced by percutaneous femoral cannulation for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). However, there are no reports of delayed retroperitoneal hemorrhage, which develops a few days after ECMO initiation and is unrelated to the ECMO cannulation. Herein, we report a rare case of delayed retroperitoneal hemorrhage during veno‐venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VV‐ECMO). Outcome A 54‐year‐old man was referred to our hospital because of severe acute respiratory distress syndrome. We initiated VV‐ECMO. The patient had severe delirium and was confined to a long‐term supine position to maintain circuit safety. On day 13, computed tomography unexpectedly revealed a large retroperitoneal hemorrhage spreading around the psoas muscle. Conclusion Delayed retroperitoneal hemorrhage can develop during VV‐ECMO management a few days after its initiation. Anticoagulant use and forceful muscular strain could be risk factors of delayed retroperitoneal hemorrhage.

Background Agonal respiration following out‐of‐hospital cardiac arrest is associated with favorable neurological outcomes. Resuscitation using extracorporeal membrane oxygenation could contribute to achieving favorable neurological outcomes in patients with refractory cardiac arrest. Case presentation We report two cases of refractory cardiac arrest with non‐shockable rhythms and agonal respiration; both patients were successfully resuscitated through extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR). Both patients were breathing spontaneously upon arrival. One patient was asystolic and the other experienced pulseless electrical activity followed by ventricular fibrillation. Agonal respiration was observed in both and ECPR was implemented, leading to a favorable neurological outcome at discharge. Conclusion The presence of agonal respiration has the potential to confer a favorable neurological outcome in patients with refractory cardiac arrest if maintained, even when the initial cardiac rhythm is not shockable. In these cases, resuscitation should not be abandoned, and ECPR should be considered.

CaseA 44‐year‐old man intentionally stabbed himself in the anterior neck and left thorax with a fruit knife. Physical examination revealed two open wounds entering the thoracic cavity in the front chest, and a stab wound entering the trachea at the neck. Two chest tubes were initially inserted for the left lung injury with open hemopneumothorax. Nevertheless, the worsening oxygenation required positive pressure ventilation (PPV) with endotracheal intubation.OutcomeRight hemiparesis was found during weaning from PPV. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed multiple infarctions in the area of the bifrontal and right temporal lobes. Cerebral air embolism (CAE) was strongly suspected from the imaging findings and clinical course.ConclusionWe concluded that mechanical ventilation was strongly involved in the occurrence of CAE. If delayed abnormal neurological findings are observed in patients with penetrating lung injuries receiving PPV management, CAE should be considered.

Introduction: Malignant catatonia (MC) is a movement disorder syndrome characterized by immobility, rigidity, and consciousness disorders that develops in association with mental and physical diseases. It is often fatal due to hyperthermia, rhabdomyolysis, and acute kidney injury. Its clinical symptoms are similar to those of another disorder, neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS), and it is often difficult to distinguish between the 2 disorders. Patient concerns: An Asian woman in her 60s with history of schizophrenia. She was admitted to our hospital because of symptoms such as fever, unconsciousness, and muscle rigidity. Blood tests showed kidney injury and high creatinine kinase levels. Diagnoses: At the time of admission, she had been diagnosed with NMS complicated by pulmonary aspergillosis and was undergoing treatment although there was no improvement. Interventions: Subsequently, the administration of propofol, a gamma-aminobutyric acid A agonist, markedly improved the symptoms, and the diagnosis was corrected to MC. At the beginning of her hospitalization, she received dantrolene, bromocriptine, amantadine, and L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine as treatment for NMS, but her symptoms did not improve. With propofol, which is used for sedation, her catatonic symptoms improved markedly. Quetiapine administration further improved the symptoms, and it eventually resolved completely. Outcomes: The patient's MC was in remission. Prolonged intensive care management resulted in a decline in activities of daily living, and she required rehabilitation at another hospital. Conclusion: This is the first report of MC with suspected involvement of pulmonary aspergillosis. MC differs from NMS, in that it is treated more effectively with gamma-aminobutyric acid A agonists. Although benzodiazepines are the first choice for the diagnosis and treatment of MC, they are ineffective for majority of patients with schizophrenia. However, even in such cases, propofol and quetiapine are effective, and they facilitate diagnosis and treatment.

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Background Acute necrotizing encephalopathy (ANE), known as influenza‐associated encephalitis, typically affects children. Case presentation A 70‐year‐old woman was admitted to the hospital with altered consciousness, a high temperature, and severe hypotension. Computed tomography (CT) of the head showed no abnormalities; thus, a diagnosis of suspected severe heat stroke was made. On day 2, repeated head CT revealed bilateral symmetrical lesions to the thalamus, and a rapid influenza antigen test was positive. Based on the CT findings and the medical history of influenza, a differential diagnosis of ANE was made. Subsequently, brain edema spread across the whole brain, and the patient died on day 21. Conclusion In elderly patients, differentiating ANE from severe heat stroke in a high‐temperature environment is difficult because of the similarities in clinical symptoms due to multiple organ failure.