Robot-assisted thoracoscopic resection of a posterior mediastinal tumor with immunoglobulin G4-related disease: a case report

BACKGROUND

Immunoglobulin (Ig)G4-related disease affects nearly every organ, and its clinical course varies depending on the involved organ; however, its occurrence in the mediastinum is rarely reported.

CASE PRESENTATION

A 58-year-old woman presented with a posterior mediastinal tumor along the thoracic spine on imaging. Based on her elevated serum IgG4 level of 349.7 mg/dL, IgG4-related disease was suspected. Since the tumor was growing and malignancy could not be excluded, surgical resection was performed for definitive diagnosis. Robot-assisted thoracoscopic surgery was performed via the left semipronation and right thoracic approaches. The irregularly-shaped tumor was located on the level of the seventh to ninth thoracic vertebra, along the sympathetic nerve. A malignancy was not excluded based on the appearance of the tumor. The tumor had poor mobility. The sympathetic nerves, intercostal arteries, and veins were also excised. In this case, the articulated forceps, used during the robotic surgery, were useful in achieving complete tumor resection along the vertebral body. The pathological examination revealed IgG4-positive plasma infiltration, which fulfilled the criteria for IgG4-related diseases. The postoperative course was uneventful, and the patient underwent follow-up on an outpatient basis without additional medications.

CONCLUSION

The clinical presentation of IgG4-related disease varies, based on the involved organs. This case was rare because the mediastinum was involved, and it emphasized the effectiveness of surgical resection.

A single-centre retrospective study of factors affecting steroid-free remission of immunoglobulin G4-related disease conducted in South Korea: A notable outcome after complete resection

OBJECTIVES

Few studies have examined factors affecting steroid-free remission (SFR) in patients with immunoglobulin G4-related disease (IgG4-RD). The aim of this study was to investigate clinical factors affecting SFR in IgG4-RD.

METHODS

The medical records of 68 patients who met the 2020 revised comprehensive diagnostic criteria for IgG4-RD were reviewed retrospectively. SFR was defined as remission maintained for at least 6 months without corticosteroids. Cox regression analysis was performed to examine the associations between SFR and various clinical factors. The relapse rate after SFR was examined using the log-rank test.

RESULTS

After a median follow-up of 36 months, 30.9% (21/68) of patients with IgG4-RD achieved SFR. Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that IgG4-RD diagnosed by complete resection rather than by common diagnostic procedures was the only factor positively associated with SFR (hazard ratio, 7.41; 95% confidence interval, 2.23-24.60; P = .001). Furthermore, relapse after attainment of SFR was significantly less common in the group that underwent complete resection than in the group that did not undergo complete resection (log-rank P = .006).

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with IgG4-RD diagnosed by complete resection had a higher likelihood of achieving SFR and a lower rate of relapse after attaining SFR.

Immunoglobulin G4-Related Disease Complicating Ruptured Isolated Iliac Artery Aneurysm: A Complex Management Dilemma

BACKGROUND Managing IgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD) in the context of vascular complications, such as aneurysms, poses significant challenges, particularly when considering surgical intervention options. The risk of rupture and infection in patients on long-term glucocorticoid therapy complicates treatment decisions. CASE REPORT A 63-year-old woman with a history of IgG4-RD presented with a ruptured right iliac artery aneurysm. She was on long-term oral glucocorticoid therapy. Initial emergency endovascular stent graft implantation was followed by embolization for suspected arterial bleeding and subsequent Salmonella bacteremia. Repeated hospitalizations involved stent graft removal and surgical repair due to persistent infection. Over 2 years, the patient required multiple pelvic drainages and long-term antibiotic and prednisolone therapy, yet her quality of life remained compromised. CONCLUSIONS Our case highlights the unique challenges and considerations in the treatment of IgG4-related aneurysms. Patients with IgG4-RD who are on long-term oral glucocorticoids have an inherent risk of aneurysm rupture. We believe regular follow-ups to monitor the progression of the aorta and iliac arteries into aneurysms are essential. For patients who have developed aneurysms, it is advisable to reduce the dosage of glucocorticoids or even consider surgical treatment as soon as possible. As for the choice of surgical method, there is no consensus yet. While endovascular treatment is less invasive and quicker, it can increase the risk of rupture and bleeding. Open surgery might be a better option. More data are needed to make a definitive judgment.

Giant skull base mass need not be a tumor - a rare presentation of IgG4-related disease

BACKGROUND

Giant intracranial 'IgG4-related' lesions are uncommon. They may present as pachymeningitis or localized mass. Here we report, probably, the largest IgG4 skull base mass ever to be reported.

CASE

A 40-year male presented with headache, diplopia, right-sided sensori-neuronal hearing loss, and left spastic hemiparesis. Magnetic resonance imaging showed a lesion of 8.5 cm extending from the paranasal sinuses to the right petroclival region with uniform contrast enhancement and T2 hypointensity. Endonasal biopsy revealed respiratory epithelium with fibrosis, and lymphoplasmacytic infiltrate having IgG4 positive cells >30/HPF suggestive of 'IgG4-related' disease. Serum IgG4 was within normal levels. With oral prednisolone 60 mg given daily for 6 weeks and then tapered off over 8 weeks, he improved symptomatically.

CONCLUSION

Though rare, 'IgG4-related' disease can also present as a giant skull base mass and should be kept as a differential to fungal granulomas and meningiomas. As they improve dramatically with medical management, extensive skull base resection should not be planned before obtaining a tissue biopsy, especially when there is extension into paranasal sinuses and T2 hypointensity.

Recurrent IgG4-Related Meningeal Disease of the Cervicothoracic Spine: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

BACKGROUND

IgG4-related disease is a rare, recently recognized chronic inflammatory disease. IgG4-related hypertrophic pachymeningitis (IgG4-RHP) of the central nervous system predominantly involves the cranial meninges. Spinal involvement remains rare.

OBJECTIVE

We report a case of recurrent cervicothoracic IgG4-RHP and review the surgical literature.

METHODS AND MATERIALS

A 35-year-old woman presented with a 6-month history of neck and right shoulder pain, progressive right triceps weakness and paresthesias in the right C8 and T1 dermatomes. MRI demonstrated a T2 hypointense epidural soft tissue mass extending from C6-T1. The patient underwent C6-T1 laminoforaminotomy and partial resection with near complete symptom resolution. Histopathology was consistent with diagnosis of IgG4-RHP. Eighteen months postoperatively, she experienced symptom recurrence necessitating re-operation and adjuvant postoperative prednisone with complete resolution at 40-months' follow-up.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS

Of the now nineteen confirmed cases of IgG4-RHP, fifteen underwent surgery. A majority achieved partial resection. Three surgical patients did not receive adjuvant therapy with symptomatic recurrence between 2 and 18 months.

IgG4-Related Disease of the Ovary

Immunoglobulin G4-related disease is characterized by dense fibrosis, obliterative phlebitis, and lymphoplasmacytic infiltration that contains abundant IgG4 positive plasma cells. It causes tumefactive lesions in the involved organs and is most commonly seen in the salivary glands, pancreas, and retroperitoneum. Ovarian involvement has been reported in only two cases. In our case, a 58-year-old female patient presented with abdominal distention and pain. Pelvic computed tomography revealed a soft tissue lesion compatible with the omental cake, several intraabdominal implants, and bilateral adnexal fullness. A laparotomy was performed under suspicion of peritoneal carcinomatosis secondary to bilateral adnexal mass. In the histopathologic examination, abundant lymphoplasmacytic infiltration and dense fibrosis were observed in both ovaries and the peritoneum. In the areas of greatest density, the density of IgG4-positive plasma cells was found to range from 40 to 50 per high-power field. The patient was accepted as suffering from probable IgG4-related disease because of the bilateral involvement of the ovaries and the histopathological findings. In conclusion, we present this case to draw attention to the fact that IgG4-related disease can also be seen in the ovary.

IgG4-Related Disease with Selective Testicular Involvement- A Rare Entity: Case Report with Review of Literature

Immunoglobin-G4 related disease (IgG4-RD) is an auto-immune inflammatory condition where patients present with a tumour-like mass that shows infiltration by plasma cell and subsequent fibrosis. It is a systemic condition that primarily involves the salivary glands, pancreas, kidneys, aorta, and retroperitoneum amongst other organs. Testicular involvement is a rare occurrence in this disease entity. A 55-year old male patient presented with the complaints of pain and swelling in the right scrotal region. Right-sided orchidectomy was carried out which on histopathology showed features suggestive of IgG4-RD which was later confirmed on immunohistochemistry. Whole body MRI revealed that no other organ was involved in the disease process in this patient. IgG4-RD has a variable clinical course and considerable overlap with its differentials. Imaging studies and serum IgG4 levels are neither confirmatory nor customarily diagnostic in every case. The only confirmatory diagnostic investigation is histopathological examination, which shows infiltration of IgG4+ plasma cells and fibrosis in the involved tissue. Whenever a mass-forming lesion with typical histomorphological features is encountered with involvement of multiple organs/anatomic sites, IgG4-related disease should be considered among the differentials, and clinicians of all disciplines should be familiar with this disease entity.

Giant IgG4-Related Pseudotumor of the Esophagus Resected with Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

IgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD) is a systemic autoimmune disorder that has been defined in various organs. The disease is characterized by typical clinicopathological features including a dense lymphoplasmacytic infiltrate rich in IgG4 positive plasma cells, storiform fibrosis, obliterative phlebitis, and often an elevated serum IgG4 level. Esophageal IgG4-RD is rare, and its presentation as a solid mass is even more rare. Only 15 previous cases of IgG4-related esophageal disease have been described. We herein present a case of giant IgG4-related pseudotumor of the esophagus resected with endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) and a review of the literature. The patient was a 67-year-old man who was admitted to our hospital for assessment of progressive dysphagia. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy revealed a 9 cm mass in the cervical esophagus. In the previous two hospitals, the patient's mass could not be diagnosed despite repeated biopsies. Because of concerns regarding malignancy, endoscopic submucosal dissection was performed. Histopathological examination showed dense lymphoplasmacytic infiltration with predominant IgG4-positive plasma cells on a sclerotic background. The patient was diagnosed with IgG4-RD. During the follow-up, no residual mass was detected but the patient was diagnosed with lung adenocarcinoma. We present a unique case of giant IgG4-related pseudotumor of the esophagus. Resection with ESD of such a big mass of IgG4-RD in the esophageal region has never been reported before in the literature.

A rare case report of immunoglobulin G4-related sclerosing mesenteritis and review of the literature

INTRODUCTION

Immunoglobulin G4 (IgG4)-related disease (IgG4-RD) is a rare autoimmune disorder involving 1 or multiple organs, most commonly the pancreas, lacrimal glands, and salivary glands. However, IgG4-related sclerosing mesenteritis (SM) involving the small-bowel mesentery is rare. Given that IgG4-related SM usually mimics the imaging characteristics of mesenteric malignancies, its preoperative diagnosis remains challenging. In addition, no specific consensus has been reached regarding the treatment of IgG4-related SM. Therefore, a better understanding of the characteristics, treatment, and prognosis of IgG-related SM is urgently needed. Herein, we report a rare case of IgG-related SM.

PATIENT CONCERNS

A 67-year-old man was admitted to our hospital after incidental detection of an abdominal mass on ultrasound imaging, although he reported being generally well. The findings on triple-phase abdominal computed tomography were highly consistent with a malignant mesenteric tumor.

DIAGNOSES

The hallmark histopathological features along with elevated levels of IgG4 (145 mg/dL) and imaging findings were indicative of IgG-related SM.

INTERVENTIONS

The patient was treated surgically. Postoperative histopathological examinations exhibited tissue infiltration with lymphocytes and IgG4-positive plasma cells, as well as fibrosis.

OUTCOMES

Ten days after surgery, the patient was discharged from the hospital, and did not show any clinical sign of IgG-related SM within 1-year follow-up.

CONCLUSION

This case highlights the mesentery as an uncommon site of involvement as well as how early IgG-related SM can be completely asymptomatic. Thus, this study has advanced our knowledge of IgG-related SM and may improve treatments for similar conditions.

Case report of IgG4-related appendiceal disease: A challenging disease

RATIONALE

Immunoglobulin G4 (IgG4)-related disease is an increasingly recognized immune-mediated entity that can affect virtually every organ system. Depending on the location of the disease, it can present a wide range of clinical manifestations and even mimic malignancies. Appendiceal involvement in patients with IgG4-related disease is particularly rare and very few cases are reported in the literature.

PATIENT CONCERNS

We report a case of IgG4-related appendiceal disease in a 42-year-old woman who presents with a subacute onset of right lower quadrant abdominal pain.

DIAGNOSIS

Abdominal computed tomography showed a markedly enlarged appendix, raising the concern of malignancy. The diagnosis of IgG4 appendiceal disease was confirmed by postoperative histopathologic and immunohistochemical examination.

INTERVENTIONS

The patient underwent right hemicolectomy.

OUTCOMES

After the surgery, the patient had an uneventful recovery and reported a resolution of her symptoms. The serum IgG4 was revaluated 5 days after surgery and returned to its normal values. At the 3-year follow up, the patient had no recurrence of symptoms and her imaging exams remain unremarkable.

LESSONS

This study reports the fifth case of IgG4-related appendiceal disease. Increasing awareness of this condition may influence the management of these patients, once patients with IgG4-related disease should be monitored after treatment, due to the risk of recurrence or involvement of other organs.

Sclerosing Mesenteritis Mimicking IgG4-related Disease

A 72-year-old man was followed as an outpatient at our hospital for 6 years after surgery for small cell carcinoma of left adrenal gland origin. Follow-up abdominal computed tomography showed a 6-cm mass in the left lower mesentery. The patient underwent open laparotomy. The histological diagnosis was sclerosing mesenteritis. The previous specimens of the left adrenal mass were then re-examined with a microscope, and panniculitis was found around the small cell carcinoma. Both lesions were histologically similar to IgG4-related disease (RD), but they did not completely meet the diagnostic criteria of IgG4-RD clinically or histologically.

IgG4-related Disease at Rectovesical Pouch Mimicking Inflammatory Myofibroblastic Tumor

Fever of unknown origin frequently remains a diagnostic challenge. Immunological diseases account for about 20- 30% cases of these fevers. We report the case of a boy who presented with high fever for 2 months and was finally diagnosed as a case of IgG4-related disease at the rectovesical pouch.

Large dural-based mass with bony hyperostosis in a 16-year-old male: IgG4-related disease mimicking lymphoplasmacyte-rich meningioma

BACKGROUND

IgG4-related disease is an autoimmune process that presents with tumefactive lesions characterized by storiform fibrosis, a dense lymphoplasmacytic infiltrate rich in IgG4+ plasma cells, obliterative phlebitis, and often elevated serum IgG4 levels. Central nervous system IgG4-related disease is very rare and usually occurs in the form of hypertrophic pachymeningitis or hypophysitis. Presentation as a large solitary meningioma-like mass with overlying hyperostosis in a young adult has not been reported before.

CASE SUMMARY

A 16-year-old male presented with focal seizures for 5 months. Imaging showed a large, extra-axial, and contrast-enhancing mass lesion in the left frontoparietal region with focal calvarial thickening. Histopathology revealed a fibrosclerotic lesion involving dura with a polymorphic infiltrate of plasma cells, mature lymphocytes, histiocytes, and occasional eosinophils. Immunohistochemical workup excluded the possibilities of meningioma, lymphoproliferative neoplasms, and histiocytic lesions. Majority of plasma cells were IgG4+ rendering a diagnosis of IgG4-related disease. Further serological and imaging workup did not reveal any evidence of systemic involvement. His serum IgG4 levels were normal. Considering a gross total resection of the lesion, no further treatment was given and the patient has been asymptomatic since.

CONCLUSION

IgG4-related lesions of the CNS are under-recognized and accurate diagnosis, especially in those with isolated CNS disease and normal serum IgG4 levels, necessitates robust histopathological and laboratory workup to exclude mimics. They may occur as large dural masses with hyperostosis and differentiation from lymphoplasmacyte-rich meningiomas, in particular, can be challenging. While steroids are the mainstay of treatment in IgG4-related disease, surgical resection may be curative in solitary lesions presenting with compressive symptoms.