Publications by authors named "Heather L Mateja"
Article Synopsis
- - Dedifferentiated liposarcoma (DDL) is a rare and aggressive subtype typically found in the retroperitoneum, with challenging diagnostics, especially when it occurs in the mesentery as documented in very few cases.
- - A 76-year-old woman was discovered to have a large mesenteric mass incidentally while being treated for pneumonia, leading to surgery where a tumor adherent to the intestine was removed and identified as intermediate-grade DDL.
- - The case emphasizes the need to include mesenteric DDL in the differential diagnosis of large abdominal masses, highlighting that complete surgical resection is crucial for treatment, alongside regular follow-ups due to its aggressive nature.
Remnant cholecystitis is a rare complication following subtotal cholecystectomy (STC), particularly when the reconstituting technique is used, which leaves a portion of the gallbladder behind. This remnant can become inflamed due to recurrent or retained gallstones. We present the case of a 39-year-old female who required a completion cholecystectomy 11 years after her initial STC due to severe recurrent right upper quadrant (RUQ) pain, nausea, and vomiting with an ultrasound that revealed cholelithiasis.
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- - Emphysematous hemorrhagic cystitis (EHC) is a rare and complicated urinary tract infection caused by gas-producing bacteria or fungi infecting the bladder wall, resulting in inflammation and reduced blood flow.
- - The report details a case involving a 69-year-old man with various health issues, showcasing the difficulties in diagnosing and managing EHC.
- - The study underlines the importance of quick identification and teamwork among healthcare providers to improve patient outcomes, particularly for those with pre-existing health problems.
Jejunal diverticulosis is a rare form of diverticulosis characterized by acquired pseudodiverticula in the small bowel. Although most cases are asymptomatic, the condition can present diagnostic challenges due to its atypical presentation. Complications such as perforation can lead to acute abdomen, significantly increasing morbidity and mortality.
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- Internal hernias are a rare but serious cause of bowel obstruction, which can lead to high rates of morbidity and mortality if not quickly identified and treated.
- A case study of a 75-year-old woman shows the challenges of diagnosing a transverse mesocolic internal hernia after a Hartmann reversal procedure, as her symptoms were initially mistaken for postoperative ileus.
- Successful surgical intervention was performed after a delayed diagnosis, highlighting the need for healthcare providers to consider internal hernias when diagnosing small bowel obstructions, particularly in patients with prior abdominal surgeries.
Portal vein aneurysms (PVAs) are rare vascular anomalies that are most often discovered incidentally during imaging for unrelated conditions. Their management remains controversial due to the limited data available. Here, we report the case of a 72-year-old male who presented with gastrointestinal bleeding and was found to have an incidental 4.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF, a nutritionally variant streptococcus, is part of the normal oral, gastrointestinal, and urogenital flora. It is associated with bacteremia, infectious endocarditis, and, rarely, bone and joint infections. infections also tend to have high mortality due to diagnostic challenges and antibiotic resistance.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFColonic xanthomas are a rare finding, particularly when combined with a tubular adenoma in a single polyp. While transformation to malignancy is not thought to be higher than that of a tubular adenoma alone, there is still concern as to the pathophysiology of xanthoma formation within the colon and what that may mean for patient outcomes. Here, we present a patient undergoing a routine screening colonoscopy with the removal of a rectosigmoid polyp consistent with xanthoma and tubular adenoma histopathology.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFis a parasite that invades erythrocytes inducing hemolysis. It presents with a variety of non-specific symptoms that can be mistaken for other illnesses. A rare manifestation of babesiosis is splenic rupture, generally seen in a younger, healthier population with low parasitemia, which can be treated conservatively depending on the grade and clinical condition.
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