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A 59-year-old female presented with a known history of stage IV kidney disease and dialysis therapy. She reported increased diffuse itching that was better right after dialysis but intensified 1–2 days after dialysis treatment. She said her itching interfered with sleep and caused her to feel depressed at times.

A 72-year-old male presented with diffuse itching of about 1-year duration. He did not see a family physician and had no known medical history or prescription medications. He took ibuprofen on occasion for arthritis pain.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a single-stranded, positive-sense, enveloped ribonucleic acid (RNA) virus. SARS-CoV-2 and its associated disease coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has caused a global pandemic in the year 2019-2020. COVID-19 has caused widespread death, economic burden, and overcrowding of hospitals. As of September 2020, there is no reliable pharmacological treatment for patients affected by COVID-19. Herein we present a case of a 41-year-old Caucasian female who presented to the emergency department with flu-like symptoms for the past five days. The patient was admitted for COVID-19 symptoms and subsequently developed COVID-19 associated thrombotic syndrome and ischemic stroke. Below, we discuss risk factors, pathology, and rare manifestations resulting from COVID-19 infection. COVID-19 primarily affects the lungs, but a review of the current literature shows limited cases of ischemic stroke and diffuse thrombosis induced by infection of the novel COVID-19 in relatively healthy individuals with minimal risk factors.

Cohen syndrome is an extremely rare disease with characteristic somatic and multi-system features that severely affect vision. Ophthalmologists must consider Cohen syndrome when developmental delay, high-grade myopia, and retinal dystrophy are present in a child. Here we report a case of Cohen syndrome in a 10-year-old boy presenting with cystoid macular edema (CME), only the second reported case of its kind. This case illustrates the phenotypic variability that can occur in Cohen syndrome, with rare features in addition to CME including trace posterior subcapsular cataracts, growth hormone deficiency, mild vermian hypoplasia, a nasolacrimal cyst, hearing loss, and high-functioning intelligence quotient (IQ). Our patient did not have an identifiable second mutation even after extensive genetic testing, which raises questions about whether the patient has a novel gene variant for the disease or an autosomal dominant mode of inheritance exists for Cohen syndrome. In addition to peripheral vision loss, the rare appearance of macular edema can threaten the remaining vision and requires intervention. This case also demonstrates that, without a high index of suspicion, there can be considerable delay in diagnosing Cohen syndrome. Though little is known about the prevalence of many of the clinical features seen in our case in the Cohen syndrome population, this case raises awareness of the syndrome and the need to recognize various clinical features, perform genetic testing, and direct appropriate treatment to prevent complications and help improve quality of life.

Esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) is a malignancy classically seen in the distal esophagus. While many risk factors associated with the condition have been reported, the most common among them are gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and obesity. Histological changes range from metaplasia within the esophagus from stratified squamous epithelium to non-ciliated columnar cells with goblet cells. In contrast, squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is classically found in the proximal portion of the esophagus and its risk factors include tobacco and alcohol use. We present a unique case of a 59-year-old African American male who presented to the ED with dysphagia, weight loss, and multiple episodes of emesis. Notable medical history included tobacco abuse, alcohol abuse, and alcoholic cirrhosis. Currently, there are numerous case reports delineating unique presentations of esophageal cancers; however, there are few case reports that demonstrate EAC affecting the proximal segment of the esophagus.

Pancreatic adenocarcinoma is a malignant cancer seen predominantly in males presenting with high-risk factors including chronic pancreatitis, familial history of cancer, and tobacco and alcohol abuse. The etiology of pancreatic adenocarcinoma is deceptive, and research continues to investigate its molecular patterns. Herein, we present a case of a 74-year-old Caucasian male who presented to the emergency department (ED) with tarry stools and hematochezia in the rectum for two weeks. Colonoscopy was terminated prematurely due to a mass at 70 cm within the splenic flexure of the colon. Exploratory laparotomy revealed a palpable mass at the splenic flexure invading the spleen. Splenectomy, distal pancreatoduodenectomy, and left hemicolectomy were performed. Pathological imaging revealed locally invasive pancreatic adenocarcinoma presenting in the splenic flexure, pancreatic parenchyma, peripancreatic soft tissue, and colonic wall. The patient is currently undergoing chemotherapy and radiation treatment. Below, we discuss risk factors, pathology, screening methods, and current treatment guidelines regarding pancreatic cancer. When pancreatic adenocarcinoma becomes metastatic, it most commonly involves the liver and lungs, but the review of current literature shows that limited cases of local invasion to the splenic flexure have been reported.

Multiple evanescent white dot syndrome (MEWDS), an inflammatory retinal condition seen predominantly in young adult patients, is characterized by unilateral vision loss with variable scotomas. The etiology of MEWDS is currently elusive and the formal mechanism is unknown. However, it must be differentiated from other white dot syndromes (WDS). Fundus fluorescein angiography in MEWDS exhibits a “wreath-like” arrangement of hyperfluorescent lesions predominantly located in the outer retina. Herein we present a case of a 32-year-old Southeast Asian female who presented to the emergency department with peripheral blindness and central scotomas. The patient's daughter was diagnosed with hand-foot-and-mouth disease seven days earlier, which often presents as an extremely debilitating condition. Below, we elaborate on the etiology, pathogenesis, and diagnostic methods to elucidate the multifactorial causes of MEWDS and aid clinicians in diagnosis and treatment. Although associated with certain viral illnesses, to the best of our knowledge, there have been no reported cases of MEWDS in conjunction with hand-foot-and-mouth disease.