Polyarteritis nodosa and acute abdomen: A role for laparoscopy?

Mesenteric vasculitis secondary to polyarteritis nodosa represents an atypical but potentially life-threatening cause of bowel ischemia and acute abdomen. The patient presented with severe abdominal pain of recent onset, pitting edema of the legs, renal failure and bowel wall thickening suggestive of mesenteric ischemia on CT scan. Early laparoscopy allowed to rule out proximal bowel necrosis and resection was avoided. The patient was successfully managed with corticosteroid therapy and repeated hemodialysis sessions.

Sodium Valproate-Induced Bilateral Pitting Pedal Edema - A Case Report

Bilateral pitting edema is rare adverse drug reaction observed in the psychiatry department. Drug related pedal edema is most commonly seen with ACE inhibitors, non-steroidal antiinflammatory drug, and calcium channel blockers. But pitting edema with Sodium valproate is very rare. Here, we report two cases of Sodium valproate-induced bilateral pitting edema.

The Relationship Between Rheumatologic Disorders and Malignancies

A variety of conditions mimicking rheumatologic syndromes may be associated with an underlying malignancy. Therefore, distinguishing these syndromes from more common, nonparaneoplastic rheumatologic conditions can be perplexing. Some autoimmune conditions and the medications used for their management can be associated with increased future risk of malignancy. Some cancers can directly involve the musculoskeletal structures, whereas others present with systemic manifestations at sites away from the tumor and its metastases. Better awareness and timely recognition of these associations may lead to earlier cancer detection and, it is hoped, better long-term survival.

Atypical Presentation of Eosinophilic Fasciitis with Pitting Edema

Eosinophilic fasciitis (EF) is a rare condition involving inflammation of the fascia and peripheral eosinophilia of unknown etiology leading to tissue fibrosis. Clinical presentation includes peripheral eosinophilia, symmetrical skin thickening with subcutaneous tissue induration of the extremities and rashes developing acutely over a period of days to weeks. An unusual feature of EF is the presence of symmetric pitting edema presumed to be secondary to vascular leakage. This is a case of eosinophilic fasciitis presenting in atypical fashion with pitting peripheral edema in addition to the classic symptoms.