The diagnosis of haemangiomata and cutaneous vascular malformations is based on clinical history and physical exploration. Imaging studies might be necessary to clarify and confirm the diagnosis, and in order to analyse the extent of the lesions by permitting an evaluation of their non-visible component as well as the affection of neighbouring structures. Finally, they also play an important ro...

We report an unusual case of Gram-negative mediastinitis following aortic valve replacement via median sternotomy. The patient presented two months after surgery following a urinary tract infection in septic shock with a discharging sternal wound and blood cultures positive for Proteus mirabilis. Imaging revealed a large anterior mediastinal abscess and aortic pseudoaneurysm which subsequently ...

Benign mesenteric lymphangiomas are rare intra-abdominal cysts which may be asymptomatic or present with a variety of abdominal symptoms including an acute abdomen. We are however not aware of any reports in the literature linking mesenteric lymphangioma to acute pancreatitis. We present the case of a 62-year-old man who was admitted with signs and symptoms of acute pancreatitis and a palpable ...

We report a case of unilateral eosinophilic pneumonia secondary to balsalazide monotherapy for ulcerative colitis. After commencing balsalazide, the patient presented with a history of cough, progressive dyspnoea and lethargy. Blood counts revealed peripheral eosinophilia. Her chest radiograph showed left-sided infiltration, and high-resolution computerised tomography demonstrated widespread no...

We report a 15-year-old girl who presented with spinal malsegmentation, associated with other skeletal anomalies. The spinal malsegmentation was subsequently discovered to be part of the spondylocarpotarsal synostosis syndrome. In addition, a distinctive craniocervical malformation was identified, which included atlanto-axial rotatory fixation. The clinical and the radiographic findings are des...

A 32-year-old HIV positive male presents with fevers and a non-productive cough. Initial X-ray and subsequent computerised tomography of the chest shows a bilateral miliary pattern of pulmonary infiltration highly suggestive of disseminated tuberculosis. However subsequent results were consistent with disseminated cryptococcosis, including pulmonary involvement, with cryptococcus identified on ...

The authors present five cases of intracranial hydatid cysts managed at the neurosurgical department between 1993-2002. The average age of presentation was 9.4 years. Four patients (80%) were in the first decade of life. Main presentations were headache, vomiting, blurring of vision and focal neurological deficit. Radiological investigation included computerised tomography (CT) and magnetic res...

A 71-year-old male patient was admitted with methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus mediastinitis two months after coronary artery bypass grafting. Treatment with immediate surgical debridement, removal of sternal wires and use of vacuum-assisted closure device was started. Spiral computerised tomography and aortography revealed a false aortic aneurysm at the cannulation site. Active media...

leukaemia) and the possibility of infection insufficiently considered, or hepatitis may be assumed to be the cause of any jaundice during an epidemic, with altern ative or coincidental aetiologies being inappropriately excluded at an early stage. These cases demonstrate that the initial assessment of the child should be openminded, with account being taken of past medical history and epidemiolo...

From time immemorial, cerebral thrombosis used to be synonymous with arterial thrombosis. But, cerebral venous thrombosis was not uncommon but neurologists and pathologists were not properly oriented regarding cerebral venous thrombosis(CVT) specially because the anatomical knowledge were not updated and nobody actually believed that thrombosis can occur in low velocity capacitance vessels as o...