Spontaneous spinal epidural hematoma (SSEH) is an uncommon neurological emergency which can present with the features ranging from simple back pain with radiculopathy to complete paraplegia or quadriplegia depending on the site and severity of the compression. Spinal hemorrhage associated with anti-platelet drugs is rarely seen. We report a case of SSEH in a 68-year-old hypertensive male who was on a low dose clopidogrel for secondary stroke prophylaxis and presented with bilateral lower limb paralysis, preceeded by severe back bain. A spinal magnetic resonance imaging scan was performed which revealed a posterior epidural hematoma of the thoraco-lumbar spine. To the best of our knowledge, not more than four cases of clopidogrel related spinal epidural hematoma have been reported. Emergent decompressive laminectomy was done within 4 hours of the presentation with excellent clinical outcome. Clinicians should, therefore, consider the remote risk of SSEH in hypertensive patients who are on anti-platelet drugs as early decompressive laminectomy and evacuation of the hematoma minimizes the permanent neurological damage.
Churg-Strauss syndrome (CSS) is a rare cause of vasculitic neuropathy. Although rare and potentially fatal, Churg-Strauss syndrome (CSS) is easily diagnosable and treatable. The presence of bronchial asthma with peripheral neuropathy in a patient alerts a physician to this diagnosis. This is vividly illustrated by the presented two cases who had neuropathy associated with bronchial asthma, eosinophilia, sinusitis, and positive perinuclear antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (p-ANCA) test, which improved with administration of steroids.
The function of the liver is particularly affected by the unique physiologic milieu of the pregnancy. Pregnancy-related liver diseases encompass a spectrum of different etiologies that are related to gestation or one of its complications. Hepatic calcification, a rare entity, is usually associated with infectious, vascular, or neoplastic lesions in the liver. To the best of our knowledge, only one case of rapidly occurring pregnancy-related intrahepatic calcification has been documented in a patient with severe eclampsia or hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes and low platelet count (HELLP) syndrome. Here we present a case of immediate “postpartum” acute fatty liver of pregnancy (AFLP) in a 23-year-old hypertensive primigravida, complicated by acute renal dysfunction who developed dense intrahepatic calcification in less than a month after the initial diagnosis. A multidisciplinary approach for the management was used, to which the patient responded aptly. This case illustrates the first description of intrahepatic calcification in AFLP syndrome and highlights some of the challenges met in making the final diagnosis.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.