Actinomycosis is a rare endogenous infection characterised by indolent progression, contiguous spreading, abscess formation and draining sinuses. Here, we present a case of causing a mediastinal abscess that is unique in its acuity and location. Our patient presented with worsening dysphagia, and CT of her chest revealed a new mass in the posterior mediastinum displacing the oesophagus. Oesophagram revealed mild motility disorder, but no masses or ulcers within the oesophagus. Oesophagogastroduodenoscopy with endoscopic ultrasound revealed extrinsic compression of the oesophagus. Fine-needle aspiration of the mass yielded purulent fluid, which was cultured. A single colony of was isolated. Initially, medical treatment was favoured, but as she developed worsening dysphagia, the abscess was drained. She continued on long-term antibiotic therapy after drainage and had complete resolution of the abscess at 1 year.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bcr-2023-258996 | DOI Listing |
BMC Geriatr
January 2025
Department of Dysphagia Rehabilitation, Institute of Science Tokyo, 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8510, Japan.
Background: Aspiration pneumonia, which often recurs due to dysphagia, worsens as patients move between homes, facilities, and hospitals. The impact of pre-hospital living setting on oral intake at discharge remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to identify the effects of the pre-hospital living setting on the nutritional intake route upon discharge in older patients with aspiration pneumonia.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHead Neck
December 2024
Roxelyn and Richard Pepper Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, School of Communication, Evanston, Illinois, USA.
Background: Dysphagia (difficulty swallowing) is a common morbidity resulting from the treatment of head-and-neck squamous-cell carcinoma (HNSCC) due to surgery and chemoradiation. Transoral robotic surgery (TORS) is a minimally invasive surgical technique for the management of HNSCC, which ideally avoids many of the known complications of open surgery. Research describing physiologic swallowing impairment after surgery using videofluoroscopy is lacking.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCureus
November 2024
Internal Medicine, Unidade Local de Saúde do Alto Minho, Viana do Castelo, PRT.
Primary malignant melanoma of the esophagus (PMME) is a rare malignancy typically associated with poor prognosis, particularly in elderly patients. Here, we present the case of an 85-year-old female patient with a three-month history of progressive dysphagia and heartburn-related epigastric pain. Endoscopy revealed a polypoid esophageal lesion, confirmed as melanoma via biopsy with positive immunohistochemical staining for Melan-A and SOX-10.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Neurosurg Pediatr
December 2024
1Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston.
Objective: Tumors in the ventral craniocervical junction (CCJ) pose unique challenges, particularly in children. The potential constraints with endoscopic approaches to tumors extending inferiorly and laterally and the risk of CSF leakage can be exacerbated in the pediatric population. Here, the authors present their experience with the extreme lateral transodontoid (ELTO) approach in children with large ventral CCJ tumors as an alternative or complement to anterior approaches.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDysphagia
December 2024
School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.
Dysphagia is common in hospitalised children. Clarity regarding its prevalence is required to direct service needs. This review reports oropharyngeal dysphagia prevalence in children admitted to acute and/or critical care, following acute illness, medical or surgical intervention.
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