SAGE Open Medical Case Reports

Dental anxiety is common post-stroke, with many patients unable to receive standard anesthetics. Virtual reality has been increasingly used to manage pain and anxiety in dentistry, though its use in individuals with stroke is largely unexplored. A case series of two patients with a history of stroke and dental anxiety was conducted at a specialized dental clinic. Patients watched 360°-virtual reality videos in a dental chair using a head-mounted display. Outcomes (patient: dental anxiety and pain, reactions to virtual reality; dental team: system usability, impact on workflow) were assessed using a standard observation tool, questionnaires, and interviews...

Umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells for regenerative therapy are a promising treatment option for chronic illnesses. Umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells offer several advantages over other sources, which makes them an attractive option in tissue repair and regeneration. This clinical study describes a 1-year follow-up on the safety and tolerance of umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cell therapy on nine patients in Malaysia. Patients were assessed for adverse effects, and liver function tests were carried out on both pre- and post-treatments...

Cardiac tumors are uncommon and most of them are benign. Although cases of malignant cardiac tumors are rare, it is still necessary to improve awareness in both clinical and pathological diagnosis. Since cardiac tumors often have a high degree of malignancy, it is vital to determine what form of intervention can increase recurrence-free survival and overall survival. In this paper, we report on a 42-year-old woman in the third trimester of pregnancy who had a cardiac undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma. According to her medical history, the patient had never had a cardiac tumor or any other disease...

Pantothenate kinase-associated neurodegeneration (PKAN, OMIM: 234200) results from biallelic pathogenic variants in PANK2 which encodes pantothenate kinase 2, a crucial mitochondrial enzyme involved in coenzyme A biosynthesis. Pantothenate kinase-associated neurodegeneration patients typically exhibit the distinctive "eye of the tiger" sign on brain magnetic resonance imaging in the globus pallidus, along with psychiatric symptoms, extrapyramidal movements such as parkinsonism and dystonia, eventual speech and gait impairments, and the presence of dysphagia...

Thyroid nodular disease can present in different forms, such as a solitary nodule, multinodular goiter, nodular goiter caused by autoimmune goiter, and nonpalpable thyroid nodules. Among children, thyroid cancer is the most common type of endocrine cancer. Pediatric thyroid cancer is usually detected as a neck mass without any symptoms, leading to variable stages of progression when diagnosed. Papillary thyroid carcinoma is the most common type of thyroid cancer in children with thyroid nodules. We are presenting a case of an 8-year-old male child who was referred to Jimma Medical Center after he developed swelling on the right side of his neck...

The sterilization failure rate of a total bilateral salpingectomy is unknown. After a total bilateral salpingectomy, spontaneous intrauterine pregnancy is extremely rare; only four cases have been documented. This case report describes a 34-year-old G4P1213 with a history of bilateral salpingectomy who was found to have a viable intrauterine pregnancy. The pregnancy was continued and ended in a repeat cesarean section. At the time of surgery, a left tubal remnant was noted. While the patient was originally reported to have a complete salpingectomy, the evidence of a tubal stump makes this an unintended partial salpingectomy...

The objective of this case report was to provide a plan for aesthetic rehabilitation of a patient utilizing layered zirconia restorations to produce a homogeneous, pleasing smile. In this case, a female patient, aged 38 years, presented in dental clinic with a spaced dentition and faulty crowns that were causing functional and aesthetic concerns. She was a banker by profession and socially active. The treatment plan involved layered zirconia indirect restorations to enhance her natural teeth appearance. The aim of this case report was to propose an effective strategy for addressing her concerns, with the potential to achieve a desired aesthetic outcome...

Bizarre parosteal osteochondromatous proliferations, also known as Nora's lesions, are rare benign tumors with a high recurrence rate. They are often difficult to identify because of their similar appearance to other tumors. We describe a 25-year-old healthy female patient with bizarre parosteal osteochondromatous proliferations in an uncommon location on the pelvic ilium, presenting with unique clinical findings of abdominal pain and femoral paresthesia and showing atypical radiographic findings. To the best of our knowledge, this is one of the very few cases ever reported in the literature of Nora's lesion in this particular location and possibly the first case ever with this specific presentation...

Eosinophilic fasciitis can be a debilitating diagnosis and is often delayed given its similarities to other sclerotic conditions including morphea, such as bound-down indurated skin and inflammation and sclerotic thickening of tissue layers on histopathology. Delaying treatment can lead to joint contracture and residual hardness in skin which has both cosmetic and functional implications. Therefore, finding the definitive diagnosis and differentiating from other sclerotic diseases is important early in the disease course...

Spigelian hernia is a rare type of abdominal wall hernia that accounts for only 0.12% of all abdominal hernias. A Spigelian hernia, also known as a spontaneous lateral ventral hernia or a hernia of the semilunar line, occurs when a part of the abdominal contents protrudes through the Spigelian fascia. Due to its anatomical location, Spigelian hernia can be difficult to diagnose through physical examination alone. Here we report a case of a 40-year-old female who experienced right abdominal pain and swelling, where ultrasonography imaging was crucial in the intraoperative diagnosis of Spigelian hernia...

Textiloma, also known as gossypiboma, is a rare but well-documented entity. It involves the omission of surgical material during surgery. Gossypiboma remains a diagnostic dilemma to this day, due to its wide spectrum of clinical symptoms and numerous radiological pitfalls. The recommended treatment for gossypiboma is surgical removal. Endoscopic removal has been performed by some teams and has shown satisfying results. We report the case of a 33-year-old woman with a transgastric migrating gossypiboma, managed by an endoscopic extraction...

Spinal tuberculosis usually presents as destroyed contiguous vertebral bodies associated with intervertebral discs and paravertebral or psoas abscesses. Atypical forms are uncommonly reported. Vertebral involvement without disk destruction is a rare form that improves satisfactorily after appropriate medical management. We report the case of a 36-year-old male who had spine tuberculosis without disk involvement, associated with intercurrent active pulmonary location with good clinical improvement after treatment and follow-up imaging showing spectacular regression of bone lesions...

Chronic spontaneous urticaria presents with wheals and/or angioedema for >6 weeks without any specific triggers. The incidence of chronic spontaneous urticaria is increased in patients with comorbid autoimmune conditions. Here, we present a case of chronic spontaneous urticaria in a 9-year-old with type 1 diabetes and autoimmune thyroid disease who first presented with insulin pump site reactions concerning an insulin-related allergy. The patient was successfully treated with antihistamines and later immunosuppression with resumption of insulin pump therapy and remission of chronic spontaneous urticaria symptoms 18 months after onset...

Actinomycosis, a rare chronic bacterial infection caused by Actinomyces species, presents diagnostic challenges due to diverse clinical presentations. This report presents a case of peritoneal actinomycosis incidentally discovered during a total abdominal hysterectomy in a 44-year-old female with refractory abnormal uterine bleeding and a history of long-term intrauterine contraceptive device use. The patient presented with persistent abnormal uterine bleeding despite conservative management. Intraoperative findings during total abdominal hysterectomy revealed peritoneal involvement, prompting histopathological evaluation confirming actinomycosis...

Tuberculosis, being an airborne disease with a broad spectrum of symptoms and signs, is a rare cause of chylothorax. Mortality due to tuberculous chylothorax is 6%, and bilateral chylothorax has a higher mortality with a poor prognosis. A previously well 28-year-old male with a household contact history of tuberculosis exposure presented with a 1-month history of shortness of breath, fever, pleuritic chest pain, and constitutional symptoms. He was found to have bilateral chylothorax, generalized lymphadenopathy, hepatosplenomegaly, and miliary nodules in chest x-ray...

Lupus enteritis denotes inflammation of the intestinal walls resulting from the influence of systemic lupus erythematosus. It represents a rare manifestation associated with notable morbidity and mortality, marked by nonspecific gastrointestinal symptoms. In this article, we present two cases of individuals experiencing severe gastrointestinal symptoms. They had a personal or familial history of autoimmunity with intestinal involvement consistent with the presentation of lupus enteritis. Following treatment with glucocorticoids and immunomodulators, both patients exhibited a satisfactory clinical evolution...

Parathyroid carcinoma is a rare malignancy; and it is rarer to find one located in an ectopic location. Ectopic parathyroid glands are a reported cause of failed primary surgery for hyperparathyroidism. We report here a 73-year-old male who previously had parathyroidectomy for primary hyperparathyroidism but then had recurrence of his symptoms with a diagnosis of a mediastinal parathyroid carcinoma on further evaluation. This presentation of complicated mediastinal parathyroid carcinoma posed significant diagnostic and management challenges due to comorbid stage IV chronic kidney disease (CKD)...

It is uncommon to observe a nonunion of an isolated ulnar shaft fracture after surgical treatment; therefore, complications due to this nonunion are very rare. Adults are more likely to develop nonunions compared to children. We report the case of a 34-year-old man, who had a left ulnar shaft fracture, treated with a screwed plate. Four months later, a septic nonunion occurred causing a type 3 Monteggia equivalent lesion with a lateral dislocation of the radial head. We describe the consecutive methods of treatment that resulted in complete bone consolidation...

We hereby present a 70-year-old male Ethiopian farmer who presented with clinical manifestations suggestive of acute large bowel obstruction, which had persisted for 3 days. Over the past 3 years, he has experienced three similar recurring episodes, which were alleviated by decompression using a rectal tube. Upon initial examination, the patient displayed signs of cardiopulmonary distress, although no indications of peritonitis were observed. Further evaluation through plain abdominal and chest X-rays revealed findings consistent with sigmoid volvulus, as well as mediastinal shift, elevated diaphragm, and a right-positioned heart...

Amyand's hernia is a rare condition characterized by an inguinal hernia containing the appendix, which can lead to complications. It is more common in children and it can be challenging to diagnose due to its location, often being mistaken for other conditions like strangulated hernias, orchitis-epididymitis, or testicular torsion. Imaging, including computed tomography and sonography, plays an important role in diagnosis, which is usually made intraoperatively. A case concerning a 3-month-old boy with a large acute scrotum that had been evolving for 4 days was presented...