Dear editor, We read with great interest the article by Go ZL et al., which was published in your esteemed journal1. The authors had reported an unusual and yet important case of cutaneous manifestations of malignancy. Being the only and initial presentation of Hodgkin’s lymphoma, prurigo nodularis can manifest as a benign dermatological appearance in the underlying sinister condition. We want to again highlight the importance of this bizarre cutaneous presentation which can counterfeit the actual and occult villain.
Breast cancer is the number one malignancy in women worldwide. It tends to metastasize distantly via lymphatic and haematogenous route. Skeletal metastases are frequent with more than three quarter of cases in all malignant bone tumours. Breast cancer can infiltrate the axial bone especially spine, but rarely affect the temporomandibular joint. In view of its rarity and the significance of early detection, the diagnosis is always challenging and shall be considered in the differential diagnosis. We endeavour to highlight this unfortunate 37-year-old premenopausal lady who had just undergone left mastectomy and axillary dissection but was complicated with left temporomandibular joint metastasis.
Phyllodes tumour (PT) of the breast is firstly described in literature as early as 1838. This article reports the youngest recorded case of giant complicated PT and the role of toilet mastectomy as a salvage surgery. A 19-year-old lady presented with a gigantic lump of the left breast for 6 months which was rapidly growing (20 x 20 cm) and complicated with a foul-smelling blackish discoloration of the breast skin and tissues. Toilet mastectomy was performed as a result. The specimen weighed 4.0 kg with histopathological report of the tumor being borderline phyllodes. Herein, we describe a case of PT, who presented with breast necrosis and we discuss its medico-social aspect of it.
Gliosarcoma is a rare primary malignant tumour of the central nervous system. A 28-year-old radiographer without a history of neurological disorder, malignancy or trauma presented with unprovoked seizures. He was symptom-free for 3 years but developed relapsed. Computed tomography of the brain was consistent with anaplastic convexity meningioma which was identical via intraoperative findings. However, the final histology revealed gliosarcoma of the brain. He recovered well postoperatively without any neurological deficit and had completed adjuvant chemo-radiotherapy. He was asymptomatic during follow up with no tumour recurrence. Gliosarcoma with predominant sarcomatous component mimicking a meningioma has prolonged survival as compared to a case with predominant glioblastoma component. Hence, the discordance between clinical, radiological, intraoperative and histopathological findings is a challenge in establishing a diagnosis of gliosarcoma.
Necrotizing fasciitis (NF) is a deadly soft tissue infection causing a significant morbidity and mortality. Abdominal and chest wall NF are unusual. We describe a 49-year-old male with anterior abdominal wall NF secondary to per- forated gastric ulcer (PGU). He was admitted in septic shock presenting an abdominal wall NF with severe metabolic acidosis requiring dialysis and admission to the intensive care unit. There was a patch of gangrene with surrounding skin discoloration at lower quadrant of the abdominal wall. Local debridement was done without a preoperative computed tomography that was performed after surgery. Adequate source control was not achieved after the second surgery and the patient had worsened resulting to death. We describe this rare presentation of NF and discuss the issues learnt from this unfortunate event.
Introduction: Rectal schwannoma is a rare gastrointestinal mesenchymal tumour with only a few numbers of cases has been reported. It is predominant in the stomach and small bowel, but uncommon in the colon and rectum. Case description: A 74-year-old man presented with features masquerading as low rectal malignancy with a malignant looking pedunculated polyp measuring 10 x 8 cm on colonoscopy. Punch biopsy revealed a diagnosis of benign tumour of schwannoma. After failure of multiple attempts of endoscopic resection, a decision of transanal excision was made. The histopathological assessment was consistent with the preoperative diagnosis and supported by immu-nohistochemistry of S-100 protein. His postoperative recovery was uneventful as he was discharged on the following day. There is no evidence of tumour recurrence on follow up. Conclusion: A huge tumour of the rectum is not always malignant. However, patient with features of low rectal tumour warrants an immediate referral to the surgical team as this non-communicable disease is a public health concern. Preoperative diagnosis is paramount for a necessary surgical intervention.
Hypophosphataemia occurs in an abnormally low serum phosphate level. Three main mechanisms are postulated: decreased intestinal absorption, increased renal excretion, and extracellular shifts to intracellular compartments. It is potentially a fatal disease if not intervene. The management is merely treating the underlying disorder, giving phosphate supplement and requiring close biochemical monitoring. The incidence of symptomatic isolated hypophosphataemia is extremely rare. In this case report, a 33-year-old man presented with three days history of dysphagia, inability to complete sentences and generalized muscle weakness. He developed blurred vision especially upon exposure to bright light. He had a history of single parathyroidectomy for parathyroid adenoma 2 years ago. Physical examinations were unremarkable. Laboratory investigations were normal except for phosphate level of 0.30 mmol/L. Intravenous KH2PO4 with a dosage of 10 mmol was administered in slow bolus in 3 hours. His symptoms resolved slowly after correction. Although isolated hypophosphataemia is rare but need to recognize the symptoms and signs of hypophosphataemia and treat accordingly.
Fracture is common after trauma. Proximal humeral fracture can occur in the elderly after fall and in youngsters after motor vehicle accidents (MVA) and sport injuries. A 37-year-old man was admitted with a fracture of his left proximal humerus following an MVA. He sustained a 3-part fracture and treated surgically using a PHILOS plate. There are few options in managing proximal humerus fracture ranging from conservative to surgical intervention based on its severity. We reminiscent the usage of PHILOS plate as a mode of treatment of such fracture.
Colonic lipomatosis is relatively a rare tumour of mesenchymal origin, composed of welldifferentiated adipocytes interlaced by fibrous tissues. A 59-year-old lady presented with right iliac fossa pain with positive rebound tenderness, Rovsing’s and obturator signs. Investigation revealed marked leucocytosis suggestive of an acute appendicitis. Diagnostic laparoscopy revealed an inflamed appendix with concomitant caecal mass suspecting of a malignancy. Laparoscopic right hemicolectomy was proceeded following oncologic resection. However, final histopathologic examination was consistent with caecal colonic lipomatosis with concomitant acute appendicitis. Hereby, dual pathologies can be elicited in an acute abdomen.
Obscure gastrointestinal bleeding is a surgical enigma of disastrous proportions. Patient’s haemodynamic status often dictates the path of management ranging from endoscopy, embolization and/or surgery. Minority of the cases has failed to identify the exact source of bleeding during endoscopic and imaging techniques. Emergency surgery is warranted in hypovolaemic shock which has failed to respond to fluid and blood resuscitation. We present a 72-year-old male with an obscure upper gastrointestinal bleeding due to ruptured cystic artery pseudoaneurysm and illustrate the rarity of the presentation with successful management.
Wandering spleen is renowned as a surgical enigma due to its diverse presentations. Due to lack of its attaching ligaments which would usually place it at the left hypochondrium region, the spleen ‘wanders’ and may be located anywhere within the abdominal cavity. This condition has been associated with many complications such as splenic torsion, pancreatitis and portal hypertension. We report a case of a wandering spleen presenting as acute appen- dicitis in an 18-year-old young active sportsman. The patient developed post-operative ileus and later intestinal obstruction which necessitated exploratory laparatomy onto which the final diagnosis of splenic and small bowel infarct due to splenic torsion with small bowel volvulus was made. Splenectomy, small bowel resection and primary anastomosis were performed and the patient made a full recovery.
Introduction:Gliosarcoma is a rare malignant brain tumor. The clinical presentation is acute with rapid progression of symptoms. Commonly affecting the elderly, it is rare to happen in youngsters. Case description: A 28-year-old radiographer presented to us with two episodes of unprovoked seizure. He denied any medical illnesses, or trauma, fall, motor vehicle accident and fever prior to these attacks. The computed tomography (CT) of brain was normal. He was managed as epilepsy and remained symptom-free for 3 years until the unprovoked seizure recurred. Another CT of brain performed and revealed a right parietal intracranial mass. This finding was supported by magnetic reso-nance imaging scan. The histologic examination showed a biphasic pattern of glial with predominant sarcomatous component giving a diagnosis of gliosarcoma of the brain. He had completed six cycles of adjuvant chemotherapy and was asymptomatic during clinic follow up with no tumor recurrence. Conclusion: Individuals with high risk of radiation exposure particularly radiographer as in our case requires a special attention when it comes to the diagnosis of malignancy. Despite of indolent clinical presentations, a close monitoring is needed to avoid mismanagement and subsequent morbidities.
Skeletal metastasis is a frequent complication of cancer resulting in significant morbidity as well as mortality. We highlight a case of a 73-year old gentleman with metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the sternum. He denied dysphagia, shortness of breath, goitre, and presence of chronic non-healing ulcer. He was anaemic and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) was 18.7. Chest radiograph on lateral view showed a suspicious cortical irregularity. Computed tomography (CT) scan of thorax revealed an aggressive sternal lesion with soft tissue component. Ultrasound guided biopsy was performed and the biopsy was consistent with metastatic squamous cell carcinoma. Squamous cell carcinoma has a predilection to metastasize via haematogenous spread, but direct extension of tumour into the bone is not frequently seen. Finding the primary cause is utmost importance either via imaging modalities or invasive procedures. Isolated secondary lesion is extremely rare but unfortunate among defaulters. We discuss its diagnostic work-up and treatment options conserved to manage this condition.
Trauma is a major health problem in Malaysia. An understanding of the trauma epidemiology is important in developing a reliable trauma service. The aim of this study is to understand the pattern of trauma in our institution and to highlight the need for a dedicated trauma service. In this database, 142 cases were included. Majority were males (127, 89.4%). Most common injury types are motor vehicle accidents (87.3%) followed by falls (7.7%) and stabs (3.5%). Most Injury Severity Score (ISS) falls under moderate score with 38.7%. Mean Abbreviated Injury Score (AIS) was 3 with most involving the chest and 90% of the patients have injuries involving at least 2 regions. Average hospital length of stay (LOS) was 11.4 days ±11.5 SD; with most patients (71.8%) were discharged without permanent disability. The mortality rate was 9.2% with all having ISS>16. ISS found to be strongly related to longer hospital stay and worse outcome (0.59, p < 0.0001, 0.4, p < 0.0001). This data is equivalent to the compared registries from 4 different trauma centres. However, steps need to be taken to improve this database. In conclusion, this university hospital receives a reasonable load of trauma cases yearly which is equivalent with other trauma centres. The increasing trauma cases will benefit from an implementation of a dedicated trauma service. This trauma database needs more depth in its elements and better data handling to ensure a quality and complete registry.