Acute respiratory failure as initial manifestation of conventional osteosarcoma rich in giant cells: a case report

Background

Osteosarcoma is a malignant tumor of the bone. The giant cell-rich osteosarcoma (GCRO) is a rare histological variant of the conventional osteosarcoma, accounting for 3% of all osteosarcomas. It has a variable clinical presentation, ranging from asymptomatic to multiple pathological fractures, mainly involving long bones, and less frequently the axial skeleton and soft tissues.

Case presentation

We present the case of a 25-year-old Hispanic woman, previously healthy, with a 1-month history of dyspnea on exertion, intermittent dry cough, hyporexia, and intermittent unquantified fever. She presented to the emergency department with a sudden increase in dyspnea during which she quickly entered ventilatory failure and cardiorespiratory arrest with pulseless electrical activity. Resuscitation maneuvers and orotracheal intubation were initiated, but effective ventilation was not achieved despite intubation and she was transferred to the intensive care unit of our institution. The chest radiograph showed a mediastinal mass that occluded and displaced the airway. The chest tomography showed a large mediastinal mass that involved the pleura and vertebral bodies. A thoracoscopic biopsy was performed that documented a conventional giant cell-rich osteosarcoma. The patient was considered to be inoperable due to the size and extent of the tumor and subsequently died.

Conclusions

The giant cell-rich osteosarcoma is a very rare histological variant of conventional osteosarcoma. Few cases of this type of osteosarcoma originating from the spine have been reported in the literature, and to our knowledge none of the reported cases included invasion to the chest cavity with airway compression and fatal acute respiratory failure that was present our case. Radiological and histological features of the GCRO must be taken into account to make a prompt diagnosis.

Mechanical Ventilation Strategies for the Patient with Severe Obstructive Lung Disease

Patients with respiratory failure due to obstructive lung disease present a challenge to the emergency physician. These patients have physiologic abnormalities that prevent adequate gas exchange and lung mechanics which render them at increased risk of cardiopulmonary decompensation when managed with invasive mechanical ventilation. This article addresses key principles when managing these challenging patients: patient-ventilator synchrony, air trapping and auto-positive end-expiratory pressure, and airway pressures. This article provides a practical workflow for the emergency physician responsible for managing these patients.

Frontiers in Clinical Practice of Long-Term Care of Chronic Ventilatory Failure

Home mechanical ventilation (HMV) is an effective long-term treatment for chronic hypercapnic respiratory failure. In addition to the established practice of providing HMV for the treatment of chronic ventilatory failure in slowly progressive neuromuscular and chest wall disease, there is accumulating evidence for improvement of quality of life and prolongation of survival by HMV in highly prevalent diseases like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and ever-increasing obesity hypoventilation syndrome as well as rapidly progressive neuromuscular disease. The key concepts for successful HMV are an experienced team selecting the right patients, timely initiation of adequate ventilation via an appropriate interface, and monitoring effectiveness during regular long-term follow-up. Coaching of patients with chronic respiratory failure on long-term HMV within a dedicated service and collaborations with community services for home care are essential. The current review describes various important practical aspects of HMV that remain frontiers in the implementation of the current knowledge in clinical practice and may help in providing effective HMV to all those in need.

Successful Extubation After Weaning Failure by Noninvasive Ventilation in Patients With Neuromuscular Disease: Case Series

Objective

To report successful cases of extubation from invasive mechanical ventilation at our institution using pulmonary rehabilitation consisting of noninvasive ventilation (NIV) in neuromuscular patients with experience of reintubation.

Methods

Patients who experienced extubation failure via the conventional weaning strategy but afterwards had extubation success via NIV were studied retrospectively. Continuous end-tidal CO₂ (ETCO₂) and pulse oxyhemoglobin saturation (SpO₂) monitoring were performed. Extubation success was defined as a state not requiring invasive mechanical ventilation via endotracheal tube or tracheotomy during a period of at least 5 days.

Results

A total of 18 patients with ventilatory failure who initially experienced extubation failure were finally placed under part-time NIV after extubation. No patient had any serious or long-term adverse effect from NIV, and all patients left the hospital alive.

Conclusion

NIV may promote successful weaning in neuromuscular patients with experience of reintubation.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: impact of pulmonary follow-up and mechanical ventilation on survival. A study of 114 cases

OBJECTIVE

To study the impact of ventilatory management and treatment on the survival of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

METHOD

Retrospective analysis of 114 consecutive patients admitted to a general hospital, evaluating demographic data, type of presentation, clinical management, treatment with mechanical ventilation and survival.

STATISTICS

descriptive and Kaplan-Meier estimator.

RESULTS

Sixty four patients presented initial bulbar involvement. Overall mean survival after diagnosis was 28.0 months (95%CI, 21.1-34.8). Seventy patients were referred to the pulmonary specialist (61.4%) and 43 received non-invasive ventilation (NIV) at 12.7 months (median) after diagnosis. Thirty seven patients continued to receive NIV with no subsequent invasive ventilation. The mean survival of these patients was 23.3 months (95%CI, 16.7-28.8), higher in those without bulbar involvement, although below the range of significance. Survival in the 26 patients receiving programmed NIV was higher than in the 11 patients in whom this was indicated without prior pulmonary assessment (considered following diagnosis, P<.012, and in accordance with the start of ventilation, P<.004). A total of 7 patients were treated invasively; mean survival in this group was 72 months (95%CI, 14.36-129.6), median 49.6±17.5 (95%CI, 15.3-83.8), and despite the difficulties involved in home care, acceptance and tolerance was acceptable.

CONCLUSIONS

Long-term mechanical ventilation prolongs survival in ALS. Programmed pulmonary assessment has a positive impact on survival of ALS patients and is key to the multidisciplinary management of this disease.