Gastrointestinal histoplasmosis is common in patients with disseminated disease affecting both immunocompetent and immunocompromised patients. However, it is often unrecognized due to a lack of specific signs and symptoms. It has only rarely been reported to cause small bowel obstruction, during which surgical treatment was nearly always necessary. Little is known about the usefulness of endoscopic therapy in gastrointestinal histoplasmosis associated strictures. We report the case of a 32-year-old man with a history of hyperimmunoglobulin M syndrome who presented with small bowel obstruction secondary to disseminated gastrointestinal histoplasmosis. Treatment was successful with a through-the-scope balloon dilator in combination with medical therapy. This report adds to the limited data available on the benefit of endoscopic therapy in infectious strictures, particularly gastrointestinal histoplasmosis.
Image-guided percutaneous ablation is an accepted treatment modality for common adult cancers. Unfortunately, its use in patients younger than 18 years is rare. This retrospective review presents our series of pediatric patients treated with ablation at our institution. From January 2002 to December 2021, a total of 14 patients (17 lesions) younger than 18 years were treated with percutaneous image-guided ablation. Estimated overall survival at 5 years was 58%; median survival of this group was not reached. Estimated local tumor progression-free survival at 5 years was 62%. One major complication was recorded.
A 29-year-old Caucasian male presented with a sharp right-sided chest pain and worsening dyspnea of two days duration. He reported chronic cough with productive, purulent, non-bloody phlegm for two years. He denied fevers, chills, or weight loss. He lived in Kansas and denied foreign travel or incarcerations. He had a 20 pack-years cigarette smoking history. He also routinely smoked marijuana. The patient had leukocytosis with a white blood cell count of 18,400 (neutrophils 73%, lymphocytes 17%, and eosinophils 2%). A chest x-ray (Figure 1a) revealed bilateral spontaneous pneumothorax with complete left lung collapse, moderately large left pleural effusion, and 20% right-sided pneumothorax. A computed tomography (CT) of the chest (Figure 1b) showed diffuse lung cysts, including cystic bronchiectasis, and diffuse tree-inbud infiltrates in the right lung and large left pleural fluid with absence of identified normal lung tissue. There was no thoracic lymphadenopathy. Two chest tubes were placed, one on each side. A large amount of thick purulent fluid was evacuated from his left chest and sent for cultures.
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Multiple myeloma is a neoplastic proliferation of monoclonal plasma cells that can result in osteolytic bone lesions, hypercalcemia, renal impairment, bone marrow failure, and the production of monoclonal gammopathy. The gastrointestinal tract is rarely involved in myeloma. GI polyposis is a rare manifestation of extra-medullary disease in multiple myeloma. Such cases usually present as gastrointestinal hemorrhage or intestinal obstruction.
A 53-year-old African American male recently diagnosed with multiple myeloma presented with three-day history of rectal bleed and fatigue. EGD showed multiple raised, polypoid, rounded lesions with a superficial central ulceration in the stomach. Colonoscopy showed similar lesions in the ascending and transverse areas of the colon that ranged in size from 5 to 16 mm in diameter. Biopsies showed that these polyps were made of plasma cells. A bone marrow biopsy showed diffuse involvement (greater than 90%) of bone marrow with multiple myeloma with anaplastic features. The patient was started on bortezomib at diagnosis, however, he passed away a few weeks later.
This type of metastatic disease has been described in isolated case reports in the literature, while solitary GI plasmacytoma has been reported more frequently. In rare cases, multiple myeloma can involve the GI tract which may lead to bleed or obstruction. This involvement is likely a marker of aggressivity. This example of extra-medullary disease in myeloma is an uncommon variant with features of poor prognosis and dedifferentiation.
Disclosures:
No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
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