Neuroimaging findings in Menkes disease: a rare neurodegenerative disorder

Menkes disease is a rare neurodegenerative metabolic disease with a reported incidence of 1 per 300 000 live births. It occurs due to mutations in ATP7A gene located on X-chromosome leading to deficiency of several copper-containing enzymes. The patient presents with history of neuroregression with characteristic kinky hair. MRI is the imaging modality of choice. Characteristic imaging findings are: bilateral subdural hygromas, cerebral and cerebellar atrophy, white matter changes and tortuous intracranial vessels on angiography. The rarity of this condition prompted us to report this case of Menkes disease along with the characteristic neuroimaging findings and brief review of literature.

Salvage Balloon Occluded Retrograde Transvenous Obliteration for Gastric Variceal Bleed in Cirrhotic Patients With Endoscopic Failure to Control Bleed/Very Early Rebleed: Long-term Outcomes

AIMS

To analyze the outcomes of balloon occluded retrograde transvenous obliteration (BRTO) as salvage therapy in cirrhotic patients with gastric variceal bleed (GVB) after failed endotherapy or very early rebleeds. We assessed for technical/clinical success of BRTO and transplantation-free survival.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Patients with GVB who underwent BRTO as salvage therapy (between 2011 and 2017) were analyzed. Rebleed rate, Child Pugh score (CTP), Model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) values were calculated at 1,6,12, and 24 months follow-up.

RESULTS

Fifty-two patients who underwent BRTO as salvage therapy were assessed for rebleed rate and transplantation-free survival. Technical success was 100% with rebleed rate being 1.9% (n = 1) and clinical success rate of 92.3% (n = 48) at 12-months follow-up and transplantation-free one-year survival of 90.4% (n = 47). Five patients (9.6%) failed to achieve one-year transplantation-free survival. Four patients died within 30 days; one rebleed, 3 (all Child C) progressive liver and multiorgan failure and one required liver transplantation (day 88) after BRTO. Thus, a total of 4 of 9 (44.4%) Child C patients failed to achieve one-year transplantation-free survival. Improvement in liver functions was noted in the rest with improved CTP, MELD scores, and albumin levels in the 12-month follow-up. Six of 52 (11.5%) developed new onset medically manageable ascites, whereas 7 of 52 (13.5%) had progression of esophageal varices at 12-months follow-up requiring prophylactic band ligation in follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS

Salvage BRTO is a safe and effective procedure for patients with acute GVB with failure to control bleed with endotherapy or very early rebleed after endotherapy. Salvage BRTO has good short/long-term outcomes with lower rebleed, higher survival, and improved liver disease severity.

A case of right bulbourethral artery pseudoaneurysm due to traumatic urethral catheterization

Traumatic urethral catheterization leading to bulbourethral artery pseudoaneurysm is exceedingly rare. We here report a case of 32-year-old male, who developed pseudoaneurysm of bulbourethral branch of right internal pudendal artery after traumatic urethral catheterization. The patient was initially managed conservatively. However, in view of recurrent gross urethral bleeding, coil angioembolization of the pseudoaneurysm was done.

Lower extremity pseudoaneurysms and their interventional radiological management: a pictorial review

Lower extremity pseudoaneurysms (PsAs) are mostly developed after traumatic or iatrogenic injury to the arteries. Unless treated, they can be complicated by adjacent mass effects, distal embolism, secondary infection, and rupture. Imaging helps in the diagnosis and planning of therapeutic intervention. Ultrasonography (USG) is often diagnostic, while CT angiography aids in vascular mapping required for intervention. Image-guided therapy offers to manage these pseudoaneurysms in a minimally invasive approach, obviating the need for surgery. A smaller, superficial, and narrow-necked PsA can easily be managed with local USG-guided compression or thrombin injection. When the percutaneous approach is not a feasible option, PsA from expendable arteries can also be managed with coiling or glue injection. Wide-necked PsA from an unexpendable artery necessitates stent graft placement, although coiling of the neck may be a viable and cheaper alternative for a long- and narrow-necked PsA. Presently, vascular closure devices are also used to seal a small arterial rent through a direct percutaneous approach. This pictorial review entails various techniques to deal with lower extremity pseudoaneurysms. An idea about the various intervention radiological approaches will help in choosing appropriate methods to tackle lower extremity pseudoaneurysms.