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Biomedical subjects

S Seewald

Publications and source records attributed to S Seewald.

26 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

[Cough, vomiting, rapid weight loss].

A young male patient from Somalia presented with a productive cough since a few days, and he complained about vomiting after meals and a rapid loss of weight of 20 kg. Endoscopic, radiological and clinical examinations revealed a broncho-esophageal fistula. Further examinations showed mycobacterium tuberculosis as the underlying cause of the disease; a malignancy was excluded. Antituberculous treatment resulted in the loss of the present symptoms as well as in a clinical and endoscopic closure of the fistula.

Adult

[Bone pain, polydipsia, polyuria].

This 20 year old man suffered increasingly from multifocal bone- and back pain over the last 6 months. Painful weakness of the left leg with dysesthesia of the 4th and 5th toe, a weight loss of 15 kg and polydipsia and pollakiuria had developed. The clinical workup disclosed hard tumors in the right mandible and tibia, a waddling gait with bilateral sign of Trendelenburg, reduced muscular force in the left leg with missing achilles tendon reflex and a loss of sensibility in the distal S1 segment, epigastric tenderness on pressure and hypertension with a value of 160/100 mmHg. X-rays revealed multiple cystic bone lesions at all sites. Hypercalcemia and massively elevated parathyroid hormone were measured. Since the parathyroids were enlarged on sonography, primary hyperthyroidism with fibrosing osteitis v. Recklinghausen was diagnosed.

Adenoma

[Headache].

This 46 year old man complained for the first time five years ago about stinging bilateral occipital headache while in prone or horizontal position and disappearing completely in the supine position after a few minutes. Two years ago hypertension with values up to 240/140 mmHg was discovered on a routine examination. For the past six months the patient complained about sudden attacks with headache, hammering pulse, nausea, pallor, sweating and blood pressure values of 200/100 mmHg. A pheochromocytoma measuring 7 x 8 cm was diagnosed on the left side and removed subsequently.

Adrenal Gland Neoplasms

Iron-deficiency anemia as the sole manifestation of celiac disease.

We report on a 40-year-old woman with a 2-year history of iron-deficiency anemia of unknown origin. Repeated endoscopic investigations in the past had revealed no abnormality of the gastrointestinal system on macroscopic examination. Oral iron supplementation was shown to have no effect on serum iron levels and had no influence on the anemia. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy performed at our hospital confirmed normal macroscopic findings. However, jejunal biopsies revealed subtotal villous atrophy of the mucosa of the small intestine. A strict gluten-free diet led to an increase in serum iron, resolution of the anemia, and restitution of normal mucosal architecture. Thus iron-deficiency anemia may be the lone manifestation of celiac disease.

Adult

Solitary retinal granuloma as a presenting sign of sarcoidosis.

A 31-year-old white patient was referred with a recent history of decreased visual acuity in his left eye. A raised, greyish-white lesion close to the optic nerve was the only ophthalmological finding. Upon systemic work-up a chest X-ray revealed enlarged pulmonary lymph nodes. A biopsy obtained during bronchoscopy led to the diagnosis of sarcoidosis. No other manifestation was noted. Following systemic steroid treatment the lesion regressed and visual acuity improved. Granulomatous inflammatory diseases have to be ruled out in cases of prominent greyish-white fundus lesions.

Adult

[Muscle weakness].

A 61 year old man complained initially about pain in the left lower leg with increasing swelling of the entire left leg. A slight swelling of the left ankle and knee and an erythematous skin change of 5 cm diameter developed and disappeared after a few hours. Two days later the patient complained about a sudden and massive weakness of the proximal skeletal muscles, progressive disturbance of swallowing, hoarseness and dark red to bluish erythematous skin eruptions on the right knee and buttock. An elevated creatinine-kinase and lactate-dehydrogenase were found. Dermatomyositis was diagnosed and treatment with high dose steroids initiated. Under this treatment the patients condition deteriorated dramatically. A treatment with plasmapheresis and cyclophosphamide was begun. A significant improvement occurred over three weeks. The patient was discharged, rehabilitated and remains free of symptoms on 10 mg cortisone. A neoplasm has so far not been detected.

Acute Disease

[Diarrhea].

A 54-year-old man had recurrent watery diarrhea with up to 10 stools per day for 4 years. The initial evaluation including coloscopy did not disclose a pathologic finding. The symptoms subsided initially after four weeks. Three years later massive watery diarrhea recurred with up to fifteen daily stools. A reevaluation of the patient disclosed the diagnosis of collagen colitis in the colonic biopsy.

Colitis

[Back pain].

This 54 year old male patient complained of upper back pain for four months, which increased on physical exertion. An X-ray examination of the spine showed compression fractures of the anterior aspects of the thoracic vertebrae VI and XI as well as anterior aspects of the thoracic vertebrae VI and XI and signs of osteoporosis. Physical examination revealed signs of hypogonadism as well as eunuchoid disproportions of the skeleton. Serum tests gave evidence of a hypogonadotropic hypogonadism due to isolated LH-secretion deficiency (Pasqualini syndrome) with secondary osteoporosis.

Back Pain