21-year-old female with an acute onset of a unilateral sixth cranial nerve deficit. Brain MRI showed at least a dozen white matter lesions, one of them contrast-enhancing. Sensory evoked potentials showed a bilateral increase in latency. Multiple sclerosis was diagnosed, and the patient was treated by corticosteroids, followed by improvement of symptoms. The first follow-up revealed no focal neurological signs with a history of a transitory unilateral lower limb hyposthenia. On the second visit, a horizonto-rotatory nystagmus and irregular paraesthesia in the right toes are documented.
78-year-old female with history of diabetes, and meningioma complicated by neurologic deficits following surgery, was diagnosed with progressive iodine-refractory metastatic papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). Her initial work-up revealed lung metastasis. She underwent a right thyroidectomy and then left thyroidectomy and laryngectomy, and subsequently received I-131 on 8 occasions. She had a drop in thyroglobulin levels to the early treatments, but most recently, thyroglobulin has steadily increased.
A 50 years old female complained about appearance of detached pruritic symptomatology affecting the trunk and the scalp. The patient carried out numerous dermatology specialist examinations on the following 3 years. Her allergy tests results were negative and she diagnosed with a seborrhoeic dermatitis affecting the scalp. As the patient did not achieve any result with the prescribed therapies ,she carried out biopsy. The biopsy was consistent with a “Lichen Planopilaris.”
60-year-old patient was diagnosed with Still's disease. He was treated with high doses of corticosteroids (methylprednisolone, 110 mg daily). The dose was gradually lowered to 4 mg daily. In the last 2 years he had two exacerbations of the disease which were successfully treated by the increased dose of methylprednisolone. The expert recommends different complementary treatments that can be helpful to reduce pain , other symptoms and inflammation, reduce the dose of the drugs needed to control the disease, and improve quality of life.
A 57 year old female complained about appearance of red to dark red pruritic bullous lesions . These lesions were, and still are, located on the legs from the knee to the ankles, and on the back of the feet. These manifestations appeared in variable phases during the next 4 years, with episodes of more numerous pustules appearing in some periods, and more isolated in other periods.
50-year-old male complaining of gradual appearance of erectile dysfunction up to absolute impossibility of even just a single erectile event. His medical history is significant for Type II Diabetes Mellitus and prostatitis. He started taking Cialis, Levitra, and then Viagra without obtaining any benefit. He underwent EMG of the inferior limbs and hematochemical examinations, that revieled signs of diabetic polyneuropathy, and possible superimposed lumbosacral radiculopathy. The possibility to give intracavernous penile injections has been proposed.
73-year-old male with a diagnosis of Parkinson's disease (PD) since 2001. The cause for this consultation is a problem in the left foot that appeared in 2005 and has worsened since. The diagnosis was "a serious pronated flat foot transverse to the left” causing pain radiating up to the thigh and hip and causing recurrent falls with serious injury.
57-year-old male who was found to have back pain and hyperglobulinemia approximately. Marrow biopsy was consistent with IgG myeloma. He was treated with steroids and local radiotherapy with improvement in symptoms and a modest reduction in the M-component. He received melphalan-based autologous stem cell transplantation, which was complicated by reversible respiratory failure. Unfortunately, he relapsed and was treated with bortezomib and steroids for 6 cycles followed by thalidomide. The disease has responded to therapy.
72-year-old male had a TIA in 1995 and has been in chronic atrial fibrillation since 1992. In 2005 2 ablative procedures were ineffective. The main treatment strategy for his atrial fibrillation has consisted of rate control and oral anticoagulation. Despite several attempts of different medications (digoxin, beta-blockers) he has remained in atrial fibrillation with a relatively moderate to fast ventricular response.
39-year-old male was diagnosed to have a neuroendocrine tumour with synchronic liver metastases. The disease was treated with an etoposide-carboplatin combination, Interferon A, somatostatin analogue and Zebra fish egg derived dietary supplements. In early 2008, a tumour progression was noted in that the disease started to produce the epithelial tumour markers CEA and CA 19-9.
52-year-old female with a diagnosis of stage IIIC Grade 3 endometrial cancer. Following the adequate surgery she was started on a chemotherapy protocol, including Taxol, Epirubicin and Cisplatinum. However the first course caused severe toxicity and was switched to Taxol and carboplatinum. One treatment option is by intense combination chemotherapy, and therefore the expert supports the protocol used by this case. Another option is endocrine manipulation by hormone therapy.
53-year-old male with lower motor neuropathy affecting all 4 limbs. The neurologic examination showed left limb hyposthenia, left upper limb hypotrophy and diffuse fasciculations. The patient was diagnosed with “suspect motor neuron disease" and was treated with IVIG cycles with slight initial improvement, but later lack of response and worsening of the clinical condition.
35-year-old female experienced an episode of lower back pain. Her doctor prescribed injections with Orudis, followed by further treatment with Voltaren. The treatment resulted in a simple remission of pain, that then re-appear at the same intensity as initially. The doctor established a new treatment that consisted of Indoxen and Bentelan. The patient experienced a remission of symptoms until even more intense lumbar pain returned spreading to the left leg. She recieved Voltaren, Muscoril, and Indoxen. Lumbar-sacral NMR showed disc central protrusion.
47-year-old female with a diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis ,who suffers from progressive tetraparesis, more pronounced in the lower extremities. Her treatment included mitoxantrone and Interferon-beta treatment, both were discontinued because of side effects. Her movement difficulties, due to the left lower limb rigidity, are increasing progressively.
47-year-old female with a 4-year history of cervical dystonia. She has been treated with botulinum toxin injections which were ineffective for her. In the expert's opinion, the success of Botulinum toxin in cervical dystonia depends on a thorough clinical assessment, exact targeting of the chosen muscles, and adequate doses of toxin injected. The expert also suggests additional or alternative treatment strategies: medical treatment by different oral drugs, or deep brain stimulation of the globus pallidus interna.
78-year-old male was diagnosed with possible mild Alzheimer’s disease. Medical history suggests a condition running a slow but steadily deteriorating course characterized by apathy as well as by impairment of memory, word finding difficulties and reduced vocabulary, impaired ability to make calculation and handle finances and difficulties in managing house work and going outside unsupervised. An episode with characteristics of delirium in the past is described as well. The neuropsychological evaluation describes moderate dementia.
54-year-old obese male with end stage renal disease due to membranous nephropathy, has received 2 renal transplants in the past and is highly sensitized. He underwent coronary angiography for vessel CAD, and PTCAs and stanting were performed. His current treatment consists of multiple medications including mycophylate according to the instructions of his transplant nephrologist. His cardiologists sees no contraindication to transplantation.
