Palpable purpura and uveitis precipitated by splenectomy in an atypical case of Cogan's syndrome.

A patient with a baffling multisystem illness developed uveitis and palpable purpura shortly after a splenectomy, leading to the diagnosis of vasculitis. Clearance by the mononuclear phagocyte system is a key factor determining the pathogenicity of circulating immune complexes, which are known to be the cause of some forms of vasculitis. The sudden appearance of uveitis and cutaneous vasculitis in an illness of many years' duration was probably a direct result of removal of the spleen.

Hemorrhagic subcutaneous bursitis.

Hemarthrosis is a well recognized complication of a number of conditions. Hemorrhagic subcutaneous bursitis is less understood. We encountered a patient with a myeloproliferative disease who developed hemorrhagic olecranon bursitis.

Acute non-infectious arthritis of the hip in rheumatoid arthritis: synovial membrane findings.

A case of acute hip pain in rheumatoid arthritis is presented, with synovial membrane findings. A patient with classical rheumatoid arthritis suffered three unusual bouts of sudden, severe but transient hip pain. The hips were clinically normal between these episodes.

The risk of abscess from sternoclavicular septic arthritis.

From a systematic review of the literature on septic arthritis and our own patient records we found that in a high percentage of cases (20% of those we reviewed) infection of the sternoclavicular joint leads to an abscess. This appears to be true regardless of the presence or absence of a history of intravenous drug abuse or underlying illness compromising the immune system, and regardless of the responsible organism. The predisposing factors must center on the joint itself.