[Bilateral sub-acute upper limb ischemia revealing Horton's disease, a rare presentation : A case report and literature review]

STUDY'S GOAL

Our goal is to enrich the medical literature by sharing our experience in managing a case of sub-acute upper limb ischemia that revealed Horton's disease. This is particularly relevant given the current lack of well-established guidelines.

INTRODUCTION

Acute upper limb ischemia is rarely seen in Horton's disease.

CASE REPORT

We present a case of a 63-year-old female patient with sub-acute ischemia in both upper limbs, accompanied by jaw claudication and absence of bilateral temporal pulses. The CT Angiography scan revealed bilateral occlusions and stenosis of the axillary and sub-clavier arteries, as well as involvement of the external carotid arteries and its branches. The Arteriography confirmed abnormalities in the medium-sized arteries of the supra-aortic trunks. The histopathology examination of the temporal artery biopsy was negative. The patient received emergency corticosteroid therapy followed by an immunosuppressant. Due to the improved clinical condition of the upper limbs, surgical intervention was not performed.

The thrombosis of a 13 years old aneurysmal arteriovenous fistula

A 46 years old female, with chronic stage renal failure for 15 years, presents to the emergency room with a thrombosis of her brachiocephalic arteriovenous fistula (functional for 13 years). The cephalic vein was aneurismal (6cm diameter) and the brachial artery was not dilated. After proximal and distal control of the brachial artery and the proximal cephalic vein, the aneurismal arteriovenous fistula was excise, the cephalic vein was ligatured, and the brachial artery was repaired with an end to end anastomosis.

[A periarteritisnodosa presenting as bilateral sub-acute limb ischemia of the legs]

STUDY'S GOAL

As there are no guidelines. This short report shows our experience in management of sub-acute limb ischemia with polyarteritisnodosa.

INTRODUCTION

Acute limb ischemia is rarely seen in periarteritisnodosa.

CASE REPORT

Here, we present a case with peripheral vascular disease of both lower limbs leading to foot claudication and then a subacute limb ischemia with large necrotic plaques on the lower limb. Angioscan showed occlusion of both superficial femoral arteries. Angiographic imaging showed abnormalities in medium-sized arteries. Pathological study of biopsy from the artery, vein, nerve and skin of the amputated leg confirm the diagnosis of periarteritisnodosa. She benefited from femoral popliteal bypass in both legs, anticoagulant drug and steroids. The non-amelioration of the left leg led to his amputation. The right leg was healed.

[Acute localized dissection of the descending thoracic aorta: A diagnostic trap]

Localized dissection of the descending thoracic aorta; class 3 of the classification proposed by the European Society of Cardiology; is a short and limited length dissection involving the descending thoracic aorta. It is a rare and unrecognized variant that poses a clinical and radiological diagnostic challenge. Indeed, it is manifested by an aspecific clinical profile represented by the acute aortic syndrome and characterized by a confused radiological aspect that entangled with the other differential diagnoses. We would like to emphasize the rarity of this uncommon pathology and the difficulty encountered in defining it based on a case treated in our department and a review of the literature.

Infective endocarditis in hemodialysis patients: A 10-year observational single center study

BACKGROUND

The incidence of infective endocarditis (IE) in chronic hemodialysis (CHD) patients remains high, despite the preventive measures implemented by nephrologists, especially the rigorous respect of hygiene, the use of antibiotic locks for catheters and the use of tunneled catheters instead of non-tunneled.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to determine the clinical, biological, and echocardiographic characteristics, and the prognosis of IE in CHD.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

It was a retrospective study, conducted from December 2010 to March 2020, at the Nephrology and Cardiology units of University Hospital in Oujda, Morocco.

RESULTS

We compiled a series of 31 CHD patients having developed IE. Eleven cases (35.4%) were collected between 2010 and 2015, and 20 cases (64.6%) between 2016 and 2020. The mean age was 47 ± 19 years, 58% were male, and 25.8% of patients had diabetes. Vascular access for hemodialysis was by arteriovenous fistula, non-tunneled catheter, and tunneled catheter in 22.5%, 32.2%, and 45.2%, of the cases, respectively. About 25.8% of patients had benefited from more than two catheters (tunneled or non-tunneled) during the 3 months preceding the occurrence of IE. The mitral, tricuspid, and aortic valves were the site of IE in 41.9%, 41.9%, and 13% of the cases, respectively. Right heart IE and left heart IE were observed in 42% (13 cases) and 58% (18 cases) of cases, respectively. Blood cultures were negative in 58.1% of the cases at the time of diagnosis of IE. Staphylococcus aureus was identified in 69.2% of the cases. Mortality occurred in 54.8% of the cases.

CONCLUSION

IE remains a severe condition in CHD patients with an increasing incidence. Rigorous prevention and screening strategies should be implemented at the hemodialysis centers.

[Critical ischemia of the lower limb revealing Lupus disease in a young woman]

The diversity of juvenile arterial disease aetiologies requires a systematic investigation when limb critical ischemia is diagnosed before the age of 50. We would like to share a rare case of a young woman who was diagnosed with Lupus disease revealed by distal ischemia of the foot.

[Bilateral carotid aneurysm revealing Takayasu disease]

Extracranial carotid aneurysms caused by Takayasu's arteritis is extremely rare. Their evolutionary risk is dominated by rupture and cerebral ischemia. We report a case of a 23 years old woman presenting bilateral common carotid aneurysm secondary to Takayasu's arteritis. Surgical treatment with the patient under steroid coverage was performed to prevent the risque of rupture. The aneurysm was resected, reconstruction was performed with prothetic aortocarotid bypass. She was discharged without major complications. The graft have remanied patent during the four years follow-up periods. A biologic inflammatory syndrome and a parietal thickening of the aneurysm in a young woman must provoke diagnosis. The surgery must be appropriate every time that the diagnosis is carried considering the evolutionary risk of these aneurysms.