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A woman in her late 40s presented with a cystic lesion in the left lacrimal gland for 1 year and associated pain in the past 3 months. On examination, the patient had cystic lesion in the left lacrimal gland region without any signs of inflammation. An initial provisional diagnosis of simple dacryops of the left eye was made, and the lesion was observed. On review at 1 month, the patient complained of persistent swelling and dull pain in the left eye. Excisional biopsy of the lesion was planned. Intraoperatively, the cyst ruptured during surgery, and yellowish, granule-like concretions were noted within the cyst. The cyst wall along with contents was excised and sent for histopathological examination and microbiology analysis. Microbiological analysis revealed fungal filaments ( Aspergillus fumigatus ). Histopathological examination confirmed cyst wall with fungal colonies. Postoperatively, the patient is doing well without any evidence of recurrence at a follow-up period of 6 months., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2025. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ Group.)

Background: Fungal spondylitis often occurs in patients with immune dysfunction, and its diagnosis and treatment pose certain challenges. However, even in immunocompromised patients, Aspergillus spondylitis remains rare. This case reports the diagnostic and therapeutic experience of fungal spondylitis in a patient with consolidated cirrhosis and no significant immune impairment., Case Presentation: A 45-year-old agricultural worker had chest and back pain for 6 months. The patient's pain was a persistent dull ache that worsened with chronic coughing and postural changes and decreased when he was laying down. Based on the patient's clinical presentation, biochemical tests and imaging, considered possible spinal tuberculosis. Empirical anti-tuberculosis treatment was not successful. Due to the failure of medication and the formation of an epidural abscess, the decision was made to proceed with surgical treatment. Intraoperative tissue specimens were subjected to high throughput testing for culture, tuberculosis gene X-pert and high-throughput detection of macro-gene infectious agents. It was confirmed that the spinal infection was caused by Aspergillus fumigatus. Tuberculosis medication was ceased and antifungal therapy with voriconazole was started. Three months after surgery, the patient recovered well with no fever or pain., Discussion and Conclusion: In summary, in addition to patients with low immune function who should be evaluated for fungal spondylitis, patients with infectious diseases of the spine who are immunocompetent but have comorbid cirrhosis should be evaluated when treatment fails. If the diagnosis cannot be made by conventional or unconventional methods, surgical methods should be used in a timely manner for diagnosis and treatment., Competing Interests: Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: N/A. Patient consent was obtained to store, analyze, and publish the fndings. Patient has been de identifed. Consent for publication: Written informed consent was obtained from the patient/participant for the publication of this case report and accompanying images in an open access online publication. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Xanthogranulomatous osteomyelitis (XO) is a rare disease characterized radiologically by an osteolytic lesion with cortical expansion or disruption. Differentiating this condition from other osteolytic diseases such as primary or metastatic bone neoplasms is imperative. Several case reports have been published on XO, with previous reports predominantly identifying bacteria such as Pseudomonas or Staphylococcus as causative organisms. However, fungal infection-induced XO has not yet been reported., Case Presentation: We present the case of a 23-year-old woman with a tumor-like osteolytic lesion in the pubic bone. The patient had experienced pelvic pain and intermittent febrile episodes for 2 months. Plain radiography revealed an osteolytic lesion in the right pubic tubercle. Magnetic resonance imaging suggested a cystic bone tumor or tubercular infection. Surgical intervention included curettage of the lesion and irrigation with normal saline. Histopathological examination of the specimen revealed abundant foamy histiocytes with inflammatory infiltrates consistent with XO. Culture of the osteolytic lesion confirmed an Aspergillus species infection and antifungal treatment was initiated. At 1-year follow-up, no evidence of local recurrence was observed., Conclusions: Although rare, XO requires differentiation from similar conditions and is treated with surgical intervention and targeted medical therapy based on the identified organisms. Clinicians should be mindful that XO can also be induced by fungal infections and that combination antifungal treatments may be beneficial in such cases., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Objectives: To evaluate surgical outcomes of invasive fungal rhinosinusitis MATERIALS AND METHODS: The National Inpatient Sample Database (2000-2015 Q3) was queried for patients with a diagnosis of aspergillosis and/or mucormycosis and a diagnosis of acute sinusitis using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Edition. Factors associated with inpatient mortality were then identified with multivariate logistic regression., Results: 514 adult patients with a median age of 57.0 years were identified, of which 231 (44.9 %) underwent sinus surgery. Surgical patients had a longer length of stay (17.0 vs 9.0 days, p < 0.001) and higher total charges ($139,762.00 vs $57,945.00, p < 0.001). The number of sinus procedures was associated with reduced odds of inpatient mortality (OR 0.69; p < 0.001) in multivariate analysis. Hypertension (OR 0.34, p = 0.002) and chronic kidney disease (OR 0.23, p = 0.034) were associated with reduced odds of inpatient mortality. Total number of procedures (OR 1.24; p = 0.002), mucormycosis (OR 2.75, p = 0.002), age (OR 1.03, p = 0.006) and acid-base disorders (OR 2.85, p = 0.012) were associated with increased odds of inpatient mortality., Conclusion: This represents the first large scale study to evaluate outcomes for invasive fungal rhinosinusitis. These findings suggest the odds of inpatient mortality decrease with greater extent of sinus surgery performed. The potentially protective roles of hypertension and chronic kidney disease should be evaluated in future research., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Intracranial fungal infection is a rare entity. This disease is mainly concentrated in dry and hot climates, such as India, Africa, California, and usually occurs in patients with immune deficiency. Now, we retrospectively analyzed the clinical manifestations, pathologic manifestations, imaging features, surgical methods, and prognosis of 4 patients with fungal infection who were confirmed by postoperative pathology. Intermittent pricking on the right face was presented in 2 patients, headache in 2 patients, orbital apex syndrome in 2 patients, and 1 patient presented with fever. Imaging showed the lesions of all patients were located in the right temporal, including 2 patients involving the right orbital, 1 patient involving the right trigeminal semilunar ganglion, 1 patient involving the right brainstem and tentorium cerebellum, 1 patient involving the right internal carotid artery. Craniotomy was performed in 2 patients, endoscopic biopsy in 1 patient, and stereotactic surgery in 1 patien. Aspergilloma was the most common pathogenic bacteria. One patient relapsed repeatedly and died. Secondary aneurysm complicated with subarachnoid hemorrhage occurred in 1 patient. Therefore, the author confirmed that intracranial fungal infection has diverse clinical, imaging, and pathologic manifestations. Neurosurgeons should be aware of the possibility of intracranial fungal infection when they find abnormal intracranial lesions, neurologic deficits, and inflammation of paranasal sinuses. Combining multiple clinical data may help doctors to improve the accuracy of diagnosis. Individualized and diversified surgical protocols should be selected for diverse lesions. Notably, secondary intracranial fungal vasculitis is common, with high mortality and disability rates., Competing Interests: The authors report no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2023 by Mutaz B. Habal, MD.)

Surgical resection of the infected lung with curative intent is the treatment of choice for lung abscesses that are difficult to control with medical treatment alone. However, lung resection is considered difficult in some cases. Herein, we report two cases of destroyed lungs with severe symptoms, for which palliative cavernostomy was performed instead of infected lung resection. Case 1 was a 45-year-old man who had granulomatosis with polyangiitis in both lungs. Steroid pulse and immunosuppression therapies were repeated, resulting in a huge, destroyed lung on the right side with chronic necrotizing bilateral aspergillosis, causing severe symptoms. Considering the bilateral spread and extension of the cavity lesions, cavernostomy was performed for the destroyed right lung. Case 2 was a 73-year-old woman who had undergone a left lower lobectomy for a metastatic lung tumor and developed a destroyed lung with severe symptoms in the residual left upper lobe caused by a non-tuberculous mycobacterial infection. Since a completion pneumonectomy with curative intent was considered too invasive for her poor general condition, cavernostomy was performed for the destroyed lung. Palliative operations significantly relieved the severe symptoms and improved the general conditions of these patients, enabling outpatient follow up.

Orbital apex syndrome, a clinical disease that is uncommon and has a high fatality rate. Tumor, endocrine, and inflammatory variables are frequently responsible for its occurrence. The authors describe a 53-year-old Chinese man who was diagnosed with orbital apex syndrome and coupled type 2 diabetes mellitus and a fungus infestation. Treatment included nasal endoscopic orbital apical decompression, anti-infection, and adequate debridement. Except for inevitable optic nerve damage, postoperative proptosis and headache manifestations improved, and systemic infection was timely contained with no signs of recurrence or serious complications occurred. The orbital apex syndrome is difficult to treat, and soon as possible biopsy of the lesion, aggressive surgical decompression, and antifungal treatment seem to be effective ways to improve survival rates., Competing Interests: The authors report no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2023 by Mutaz B. Habal, MD.)

Aggressive aspergillosis is a life-threatening fungal infection with rapid progress, mainly affecting the maxillofacial area, especially the nose and paranasal sinuses, in patients with immunocompromised conditions such as diabetes mellitus. Aggressive aspergillosis infection should be differentiated from other invasive fungal sinusitis for early recognition with correct prompt treatment. The main treatment is aggressive surgical debridement such as maxillectomy. Although aggressive debridement should be performed, preservation of the palatal flap should be considered for better postoperative outcomes. In this manuscript, we report the case of a diabetic patient with aggressive aspergillosis affecting the maxilla and paranasal sinuses and describe the appropriate surgical management and prosthodontic rehabilitation., Competing Interests: The authors report no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2023 by Mutaz B. Habal, MD.)

A 32-year-old man was referred to our department for surgery because of recurrent pneumonia. Aspergillus fumigatus was detected in his sputum culture at the first visit. We started antifungal therapy one month before surgery. His chest radiograph showed an infiltrative shadow in the right lower lobe, and chest computed tomography (CT) showed an infiltrative shadow and large and small cystic changes in the right lower lobe. CT angiography (CTA) revealed two anomalous arteries supplied by the aorta that drained into the right lower lobe. An aneurysm with a diameter of 25 mm had formed in one anomalous artery. Based on these findings, intralobar pulmonary sequestration with Aspergillus infection and an anomalous artery forming an aneurysm was diagnosed. In addition, we embolized the aneurysm of the anomalous artery. After embolization, right lower lobectomy was safely performed. The patient was discharged on the 15th post-operative day with no complications.

Aspergillus spp. osteoarticular infections are destructive opportunistic infections, while there is no clear consensus on their management. The purpose of this review is to investigate the current literature regarding Aspergillus spp. osteoarticular infections. An electronic search of the PubMed and Scopus databases was conducted considering studies that assessed osteoarticular infections from Aspergillus spp. We included only studies with biopsy proven documentation of positive cultures or histological findings for Aspergillus spp., and those with essential information for each case such as the anatomical location of the infection, the type of treatment (conservative, surgical, combination), the antifungal therapy, and the outcome. Overall, 148 studies from 1965 to 2021 including 186 patients were included in the review. One hundred and seven (57.5%) patients underwent surgical debridement in addition to antifungal therapy, while 79 (42.7%) patients were treated only conservatively. Complete infection resolution was reported in 107 (57.5%) patients, while partial resolution in 29 (15.5%) patients. Surgical debridement resulted in higher complete infection resolution rate compared to only antifungal therapy (70.0% vs. 40.5%, P < 0.001), while complete resolution rate was similar for antifungal monotherapy and combination/sequential therapy (58.3% vs. 54.5%; P = 0.76). Last, complete resolution rate was also similar for monotherapy with amphotericin B (58.1%) and voriconazole (58.6%; P = 0.95). The results of this study indicate that antifungal monotherapy has similar efficacy with combination/sequential therapy, while voriconazole has similar efficacy with amphotericin B. Moreover, surgical debridement of the infected focus results in better outcomes in terms of infection eradication compared to conservative treatment., Lay Summary: Antifungal monotherapy has similar efficacy with combination/sequential therapy, and voriconazole has similar efficacy with amphotericin B for the treatment of Aspergillus spp. osteoarticular infections, while surgical debridement of the infected focus improves the infection eradication rate., (© The Author(s) 2022. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The International Society for Human and Animal Mycology.)

Aspergillosis is a fungal disease caused by the fungus Aspergillus; this disease frequently involves the lungs and occasionally the maxillary sinus. Aspergillosis in the maxillary sinus usually has the characteristics of a noninvasive form. It has been suggested that spores of aspergillus can be inhaled into the maxillary sinus via the osteomeatal complex or via an oroantral fistula after dental procedures, such as an extraction. However, maxillary aspergillosis related to implant installation has rarely been reported. This report regards unusual cases of maxillary aspergillosis associated with dental implant therapies in healthy patients. The cases were successfully treated with the surgical removal of the infected or necrotic tissues.

We report a 58-year-old Asian woman who was diagnosed with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and lupus nephritis, together with a mixed pulmonary bacterial and fungal infection including Aspergillus . The infection did not respond well to the routine administration of anti-bacterial and anti-fungal drugs, and the patient's creatinine levels continued to rise and protein remained in her urine. The patient's SLE persisted without going into remission. Finally, surgical resection of the pulmonary aspergilloma brought the SLE back under control.

In recent decades, the ever-expanding use of endoscopes and development of dedicated instrumentation have reshaped the panorama of surgical approaches to the frontal sinus. 1 Nonetheless, the far lateral portion of the sinus might still represent a concern, especially in cases with unfavorable or distorted anatomy. 2 , 3 We report the case of a 52-year-old man, referred to our department for recurrent episodes of left orbital swelling and supraorbital headache, 3 months after Draf III frontal sinusotomy for marsupialization of multiple frontal mucoceles. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging scans were consistent with persistent inflammatory tissue in the far lateral left frontal sinus. Revision surgery was performed, adopting a combined endonasal orbital transposition 3 and superior eyelid transorbital approach. 4 , 5 The postoperative course was uneventful, and the microbiologic and histologic examinations demonstrated noninvasive Aspergillus fumigatus infection. The radiologic control showed patency of the frontal recess and complete clearance of the sinus. The patient is asymptomatic after 16 months (Video 1). The transorbital approach is effective in managing orbital and frontal sinus diseases, 6 and the combination with the endonasal route grants complete access to the frontal sinus, even in cases of high pneumatization and lateral extension. 4 , 7 Multiportal transorbital approaches represent additional techniques in the rhinologist's surgical armamentarium, which can overcome the limits of a single port approach. 8 , 9 Reports on their use providing technical hints and critical considerations are to be encouraged to ease and stimulate the surgical training in this field., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared.

Introduction: Acute invasive fungal rhinosinusitis (AIFRS) is rare but has high mortality. It is more frequent in immunocompromised patients with multiple comorbidities, which make their management more difficult. The aim of this study is to describe a cohort of patients operated due to AIFRS, their clinical characteristics, mortality, aetiological agent and efficacy of diagnostic tests., Material and Method: Non-concurrent prospective study of patients with AIFRS who were operated between 2005 and 2015 in our centre., Results: Thirty-two patients were included, 62.5% (20/32) men, with an average age of 39.4 years (16-65 years). Overall mortality was 71.9%; acute mortality 46.9% and late mortality 25%. Haematological malignancies were the most common underlying disease, present in 84.4% (27/32) of cases, followed by diabetes mellitus in 9.4% (3/32). On diagnosis, 62.5% (20/32) of patients were neutropenic, 80% (16/20) of them with febrile neutropenia. Fever was the most frequent symptom, present in 65.6% (21/32) of patients, followed by facial pain or headache in 53.1% (17/32). Aspergillus was identified in 37.5% (12/32) of cases and Rhizopus in 31.3% (10/32). There was no association between the analysed variables and increased risk of mortality., Conclusions: AIFRS is an aggressive disease with a high mortality rate, therefore a timely diagnosis is fundamental. It is necessary to optimise suspicion criteria for an early diagnosis in order to improve the prognosis., (Copyright © 2020 Sociedad Española de Otorrinolaringología y Cirugía de Cabeza y Cuello. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared.

Introduction: Fungus ball (FB) represents a granulomatous mass due to a fungal colonization which may disseminate and potentially lead to a systemic infection. Maxillary fungus ball is considered to be a complication of dental treatment and, according to relevant literature, it often stems from improper endodontic therapies., Material and Methods: The authors report the case of a 69-year-old caucasian woman with nasal respiratory distress and frequent sinusitis symptoms. According to clinical and radiological evidence, FESS surgery was planned, thus validating FB diagnostic hypothesis., Conclusions: Fungal infection should always be considered in patients with sinusitis and previous root canal theraphy. Misdiagnosis can lead to severe complications. Surgical removal seems to be effective and resolutive., Key Words: Endoscopic surgery, Fungus Ball, Maxillary sinusitiss.

The latissimus dorsi and serratus anterior muscles are available for reconstruction coverage of thoracic defects. We performed extended latissimus dorsi-serratus anterior chimeric thoraco-myoplasty with a vascular supercharge to maintain sufficient blood supply to the flaps because of a deficiency in the distal blood flow to the flap revealed by an intravenous injection of indocyanine green and simultaneous endobronchial embolization for refractory Aspergillus empyema., (© The Author(s) 2019. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery. All rights reserved.)

Objective: Although invasive fungal disease (IFD) is an important complication in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), the clinical significance of surgery, including the role of surgical resection for persistent pulmonary fungal disease prior to allogeneic HSCT in the current era with a variety of available antifungal agents, is controversial. We investigated the role of surgical resection., Methods: We retrospectively investigated six patients who underwent surgical resection of suspected pulmonary fungal disease prior to allogeneic HSCT between April 2007 and June 2016 at our medical center., Results: We present six patients who underwent surgical resection of suspected pulmonary fungal disease prior to allogeneic HSCT. In our case series, three of four patients who were given a presurgical diagnosis of possible IFD were given a proven diagnosis after surgery, including two cases of invasive aspergillosis (IA) and one case of mucormycosis. All surgeries were performed by video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) for lobectomy without major complications. Recurrence of IFD was not observed after allogeneic HSCT in any of the six patients., Conclusion: Our experience indicated that surgical resection of persistent localized pulmonary lesions of IFD before allogeneic HSCT was helpful for obtaining a definitive diagnosis and might be useful for reducing recurrence after HSCT., (Copyright © 2019. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Purpose: To identify the causative microorganism of fungal endogenous endophthalmitis in our tertiary referral uveitis center and review the therapeutic role of pars plana vitrectomy in patients with fungal endogenous endophthalmitis., Methods: Seven eyes of six cases were identified as fungal endogenous endophthalmitis through positive cultures of ocular fluids and clinical presentations. The final anatomical and functional results were evaluated., Results: Four women (66.7%) and two men (33.3%) underwent vitrectomy. Control of infection was achieved early on in all cases. Candida (71.4%) and Aspergillus (28.6%) species were identified as causative fungi in patients with fungal endogenous endophthalmitis. Two patients were reoperated due to reinfection and retinal detachment, respectively. Visual acuity improved in six eyes (85.7%) and worsened in one eye (14.3%). At the final examination, the retina was flat in all cases. No eye developed phthisis bulbi., Conclusion: Candida species are the most common causative organisms of fungal endogenous endophthalmitis in this study. Pars plana vitrectomy in fungal endogenous endophthalmitis may enhance the treatment of infection by removing fungal elements in the vitreous and aid in diagnosis. Vitrectomy may also be an important tool in the management of vision-threatening post-infectious sequelae such as retinal detachment and reinfections.

Case: A 52-year-old man known for a recent cardiac transplantation presented with 6 weeks of incapacitating left shoulder pain with normal x-rays and CT scans. MRI revealed bone edema of the coracoid and glenoid neck with a supraspinatus abscess. Biopsy of the coracoid demonstrated Aspergillus osteomyelitis of the scapula., Conclusion: Aspergillus osteomyelitis is a rare manifestation of invasive aspergillosis and mostly manifests as spondylodiscitis. In this report, we describe a case of Aspergillus osteomyelitis of the scapula treated with combined antifungal therapy and surgery.

Background and Objective: to describe the results of the treatment of invasive fungal sinusitis with nasal endoscopic surgery in an immunocompromised paediatric oncological population., Methods: retrospective study of all patients diagnosed with invasive fungal sinusitis operated in the National Paediatric Oncology Unit between 2012 and 2016. Data taken from their medical history included: epidemiological characteristics, oncological diagnosis, haematological data, symptoms, tomographic studies, surgical interventions, results of pathology and cultures, medications received, complications, evolution and survival., Results: 18 patients were identified, 7 male and 11 female. The average age was 12 years, 13 had a diagnosis of acute lymphocytic leukemia and 5 of acute myeloid leukemia. Seventeen patients presented severe neutropenia at the time of diagnosis. The most frequently identified aetiological agent was Aspergillus in 13 patients. In 16 patients (89%) the disease was controlled with nasal endoscopic surgery. Ten patients died due to unrelated causes throughout the study., Discussion and Conclusions: Invasive fungal sinusitis should be considered a medical emergency due to its high mortality. The diagnosis is based on a high index of suspicion in patients with predisposing factors (leukaemia, neutropenia, persistent fever, nasogastric tube) and endoscopic nasal evaluation. Antifungal medical treatment and aggressive nasal endoscopic surgery is indicated regardless of the patient's condition to reduce the fungal burden and associated high mortality. The treatment must be provided by a multidisciplinary team that includes paediatrics, haemato-oncology, infectology and otorhinolaryngology., (Copyright © 2018 Sociedad Española de Otorrinolaringología y Cirugía de Cabeza y Cuello. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Fungal endocarditis (FE) is an infrequent but a lethal condition. Candida and Aspergillus species are the 2 most commonly implicated pathogenic fungi. Clinical presentation is most often that of a fever of unknown origin, which is hard to differentiate from bacterial endocarditis. The diagnosis of FE is extremely challenging and now shifting towards molecular diagnostic techniques. Rapid and aggressive treatment with a combination of antifungal therapy and surgical debridement is imperative to improve outcomes.

Objectives:: Invasive fungal rhinosinusitis is a rare, life-threatening condition that affects the paranasal sinuses. The standard of care after diagnosis includes surgical debridement and aggressive medical management. Despite treatment, mortality remains unacceptably high. Most data are derived from small cohort experiences, with limited identification of mortality risk factors in the acute setting. The authors used a large national database to better understand clinical factors associated with inpatient mortality for this challenging condition., Methods:: Using the 2000-2014 National (Nationwide) Inpatient Sample database, the authors identified 979 adult patients with an International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification diagnosis code of mucormycosis or aspergillosis and a procedure code of sinus surgery. Multivariate imputation by chained equation was performed to account for missing data, followed by multivariate logistic regression to identify predictors of inpatient mortality., Results:: In total, 979 adult patients were identified, with a median age of 57 years. The inpatient mortality rate was 15.8%. The most prevalent comorbidity was hematologic disorders (42.9%). Mucormycosis versus aspergillosis was associated with increased odds of inpatient mortality (odds ratio, 2.95; 95% confidence interval, 2.00-4.34; P < .001). The odds of inpatient mortality were significantly increased between patients with hematologic disorders and those without (odds ratio, 1.92; 95% confidence interval, 1.08-3.39; P = .024). Diabetes (odds ratio, 0.53; 95% confidence interval, 0.34 - 0.80; P = .003) was associated with the lowest odds of inpatient mortality., Conclusions:: This represents the first population-based study evaluating the factors associated with inpatient mortality. These findings support prior observations demonstrating that the underlying immune dysfunction and type of fungal infection are important predictors of early mortality.

Background:  The incidence of invasive aspergillosis (IA) in children with hematooncological malignancies is increasing as a result of intensive treatment, immunosuppression, and extended use of broad-spectrum antibiotics. Infection of the GI tract by Aspergillus spp. is a rare and fatal complication, which often requires surgical diagnostic and therapeutic exploration., Objective:  The aim of this study was to determine the characteristics of symptomatic intestinal aspergillosis, diagnosis, treatment, and outcome of pediatric patients with an underlying hemato-oncologic disease., Patients and Methods:  We analyzed 2,307 German patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) from age 1 to 17 years registered in the AIEOP-BFM ALL 2000 study from 2000 to 2006. All reported adverse events were assessed for symptoms of IA and retrospectively reviewed for any sign or proof of intestinal involvement of IA., Results:  In this cohort, IA was reported in 30 of 2,307 patients while intestinal involvement was documented in five patients. Four of these patients had intestinal symptoms and three patients underwent explorative laparotomy. Among clinical cases with IA, gastrointestinal manifestation of IA mostly occurred in adolescent patients (10-16 years). Symptoms varied from abdominal tenderness and pain to constipation. Intestinal aspergillosis was proven by microbiological and histopathological examination and fungal infection was observed macroscopically in the jejunal lumen during surgery. Despite the extended surgery and antifungal therapy, outcome of disseminated IA with intestinal involvement remains poor., Conclusion:  Surgeons should be aware of surgical complications of intestinal aspergillosis in children with hematooncological diseases requiring exploration and resection. IA is a rare event and still difficult to diagnose due to unspecific abdominal symptoms. Thus, biopsy sampling is of utmost importance to ensure diagnosis, and resection of necrotic or perforated tissue should be attempted early., Competing Interests: None., (Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.)

Objectives: To compare two minimally invasive enilconazole infusion protocols for the treatment of canine sinonasal aspergillosis and evaluate the importance of complete endoscopic debridement in determining first treatment success rate., Materials and Methods: Data for 48 dogs with confirmed sinonasal aspergillosis treated with endoscopic debridement followed by per-endoscopic enilconazole infusion were collected. Twenty-four dogs were treated according to the previously published 1-hour infusion protocol and 24 dogs underwent a simplified 15-minute infusion protocol. Completeness of debridement, evaluated as partial or complete at the end of the procedure and outcome after one or several treatments were assessed in all dogs. Multi-variable analysis was performed to derive odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals., Results: The median duration of the simplified protocol - 92∙3 minutes (range 40 to 140) - was substantially shorter than the duration of the previous protocol - 201∙3 minutes (range 120 to 265). First treatment success rates were 58 and 62∙5% for the previous and simplified protocol, respectively. Overall treatment success rate was similar in both groups (96%). Complete debridement was associated with an improved first treatment success rate compared to partial debridement., Clinical Significance: The simplified protocol is a valid alternative approach to the treatment of sinonasal aspergillosis. Completeness of endoscopic debridement before infusion is an important step for the success of treatment in canine sinonasal aspergillosis., (© 2018 British Small Animal Veterinary Association.)

Background: Contiguous skin inflammation is a poorly described entity. It constitutes a cutaneous manifestation of an underlying ongoing process (infectious, inflammatory or neoplastic). Sinusitis is a known cause., Patients and Methods: We report the case of a 70-year-old patient consulting for an ongoing centrofacial inflammatory plaque. Cutaneous biopsy revealed a polymorphic inflammatory infiltrate, and cutaneous microbiological specimens were negative. A facial CT-scan showed left maxillary sinusitis. Intra-sinus samples obtained at surgery showed aspergillus. Voriconazole combined with maxillary sinus surgery resulted in healing of the facial plaque., Discussion: There have been only two published cases of contiguous skin inflammation related to sinusitis but no reported cases caused by aspergillus sinusitis. Herein we report the third case of contiguous skin inflammation associated with sinusitis, which is also the first related to aspergillus sinusitis., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Aspergillus endocarditis is a rare infection that occurs most commonly in patients with prior cardiac surgery but cases in post-transplant recipients without prior cardiac surgery have been reported. Diagnosis is often delayed and requires high index of suspicion. We here report a case of Aspergillus endocarditis in solid organ transplant recipient., (© 2018 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Rationale: Orbital apex syndrome is a complex clinical disorder featuring a collection of cranial nerve deficits characterized by impairment of the extraocular muscles, the ophthalmic branch of the trigeminal nerve, and even the optic nerve. Sino-orbital aspergillosis is rare but aggressive infection. Surgical resection accompanied by antifungal medication is advised currently., Patient Concerns: We report a 61-year-old woman diagnosed as aspergilloma presenting with the characteristic manifestations and imaging features of orbital apex syndrome., Diagnoses: Paranasal sinus tumor was misdiagnosed initially according to magnetic resonance imaging of the orbit. Finally aspergilloma was diagnosed by pathologic report., Interventions: The anti-fungal medication, voriconazole, was administered immediately. Surgical excision was also done due to the poor response to medical treatment., Outcomes: Postoperative follow-up showed no recurrence of aspergillosis but the vision was lost permanently., Lessons: Invasive sino-orbital aspergillosis as an aggressive disease with highly invasive patterns and it may be misdiagnosed as tumors. To achieve better prognosis and survival, clinicians should be aware of this distinct manifestation.

This is the 27th installment of a series that will highlight one case per publication issue from the bank of cases available online as part of the American Society of Emergency Radiology (ASER) educational resources. Our goal is to generate more interest in and use of our online materials. To view more cases online, please visit the ASER Core Curriculum and Recommendations for Study online at http://www.erad.org/?page=CCIP&#95;TOC .

Invasive aspergillosis is a life-threatening fungal infection, especially in immunocompromised patients. Pulmonary aspergillosis is the most common type of the infection, while urinary tract infection is relatively rare. Here, we describe a case of a 46-year-old man with chronic renal disease presenting with intermittent abdominal pain. The diagnosis of aspergillosis was established by pathological findings of the fungal ball in the bladder. The patient underwent multiple antimicrobial treatments and surgical interventions and was finally cured by posaconazole., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© BMJ Publishing Group Ltd (unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.)

In immunocompromised patients, Aspergillus infections are important causes of morbidity and mortality. We describe a patient with cryoglobulinemic vasculitis who developed disseminated invasive aspergillosis with thyrotoxicosis caused by Aspergillus fumigatus. The diagnosis was based upon radiological, microbiological and pathological findings. The patient was treated successfully with voriconazole and caspofungin treatment followed by total thyroidectomy. We provide an overview of published reports on Aspergillus thyroiditis with an emphasis on therapeutic approaches.

Background: Invasive fungal sinusitis is usually associated with poor prognosis, but no clear guidelines have been established for surgical treatment. Here, we report the development and application of the endoscopic orbit-sinus combined approach (EOSCA), a novel surgical technique to approach the nasal cavity and orbit concurrently, in patients with invasive fungal sinusitis with orbital infiltration., Material and Methods: Two patients with invasive fungal sinusitis infiltrating the orbit underwent EOSCA. Transnasal endoscopy was performed for maximum debulking of tissues infiltrated by fungi in the nasal cavity and orbit, before making an incision into the palpebral conjunctiva. An endoscope was then inserted into the orbit through the incision in the palpebral conjunctiva to remove adipose tissue and muscles that had been infiltrated by fungi from the orbital regions where the transnasal approach was difficult or impossible. Another surgeon assisted the procedure by operating an endoscope concurrently via the nasal cavity (four-hands technique)., Results: We were able to remove lesions safely and with precision, preserving visual acuity and a functional eyeball in both cases. Currently, the patients are alive, with no postoperative complications, recurrence, or disfigurement., Conclusions: This novel method shows promise as a safe and reliable surgical procedure for patients with invasive fungal sinusitis infiltrating into the orbit, with no postoperative complications, recurrence, or disfigurement.

A 3-year-old girl with the diagnosis of chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) was hospitalized for bronchopneumonia and congestive heart failure. Her medical history included methylprednisolone medication for autoimmune gastric outlet obstruction. Computed tomography revealed pneumonic infiltrations and pericardial thickening. A pulsed-wave Doppler recording revealed E/A >1. During a pericardiectomy, multiple islands of thick, firm-walled, fibrinous exudate-containing, small abscess formations were observed. Histopathological evaluation of pericardial tissue revealed granulomatous inflammation. Aspergillus fumigatus was cultured from the abscess. In conclusion, development of constrictive aspergillus pericarditis should be considered in patients with CGD because immediate initiation of antifungal management with aggressive surgical treatment is life-saving.

Aspergillus myofasciitis is a rare infection of the muscles and their fascial sheaths that has been reported in patients with immune deficiencies of various kinds but, until now, not with chronic granulomatous disease (CGD). Patients affected by CGD are at high risk of invasive aspergillus infections. The case described involves a 14-year-old boy with a severe autosomal recessive CGD who was admitted to hospital with an Aspergillus myofasciitis of the left forearm. He was treated with liposomal amphotericin for 14 days and then with oral voriconazole for three months with an excellent clinical outcome. He did not evidence any recurrence in the following 30 months using itraconazole prophylaxis.

Renal failure in cases of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia during induction is mainly because of sepsis and tumour lysis syndrome. This 18-year-old man had sudden onset anuria with increase in creatine. At this time, patient did not have any overt signs or laboratory features suggestive of sepsis. Imaging studies documented bilateral hydronephrosis. Ureteroscopy was done, and it showed presence of soft tissue mass obstructing the ureter. On the the left side, it was noted in its middle part and on the right, at the ureteropelvic junction. The mass on the left side was removed under ureteroscopic guidance and was sent for histopathology examination. It was confirmed to be fungal ball on histopathology examination. Though rare, even in immunocompromised patients, bilateral fungal ball should be considered in differential diagnosis in cases of acute leukaemia with sudden onset anuria. We share our experience in managing this case for which there are no clear guidelines., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© BMJ Publishing Group Ltd (unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.)

Background: Acute invasive fungal rhinosinusitis (AIFRS) represents a fulminant, potentially fatal, disease process in immunocompromised patients. The diagnosis often rests on high index of clinical suspicion, with relative paucity of data on the diagnostic and therapeutic implications of intraoperative frozen sections., Methods: Retrospective review was performed for 18 cases undergoing endoscopic sinus surgery for AIFRS. Reliability of intraoperative frozen section diagnosis was evaluated for all patients using final pathology as the gold standard., Results: A total of 66 frozen sections were performed. Diagnostic accuracy of frozen sections illustrated sensitivity of 72.7% (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.57 to 0.85), specificity of 100% (95% CI, 0.85 to 1.00), positive predictive value (PPV) of 100% (95% CI, 0.89 to 1.00), and negative predictive value (NPV) of 64.7% (95% CI, 0.46 to 0.80). There was no statistically significant difference in sensitivity of frozen sections in cases of Mucor and Aspergillus at 68.8%% and 76.2%, respectively (p = 0.61)., Conclusion: This study represents the largest series assessing the diagnostic accuracy of frozen section analysis in AIFRS. Frozen section analysis is an effective tool for guiding intraoperative decision making in patients with AIFRS with a high PPV. A Low NPV underscores the importance of clinical suspicion and intraoperative decision making based on endoscopic findings when negative frozen section results are encountered. Further, frozen section analysis appears to be equally effective in detecting either Mucor or Aspergillus., (© 2017 ARS-AAOA, LLC.)

Aspergillus udagawae has morphological similarities to Aspergillusfumigatus; however, it shows a low susceptibility to common antifungal drugs and poor in vitro sporulation. We present the first reported case of infectious endocarditis caused by A. udagawae. An awareness of this newly described Aspergillus species is vital for further clarification., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Infective endocarditis (IE) is a severe disease with high mortality and morbidity. Prosthetic valve endocarditis is a life-threatening complication which can occur in less than 10% of patients with valve prosthesis. A fungal etiology of IE is rare and accounts for only 2-4% of all case of endocarditis, but is associated with a higher mortality and morbidity. Herein is reported the first case of fungal endocarditis of aortic valve prosthesis due to Aspergillus oryzae in a 67-year-old caucasian man who nine years previously underwent mitral and aortic valve replacement with mechanical prostheses, and tricuspid annuloplasty for acute IE due to Enterococcus spp. Seven months previously, the patient also underwent a redo cardiac procedure to replace a mitral valve prosthesis with a new mechanical device due to a leakage. Aspergillus oryzae showed impressive growth with strong and unexpected virulence in both local and systemic settings.

We present an unusual case of a 74-year-old woman who presented with a pseudoaneurysm at the site of a previous prosthetic femoro-popliteal bypass graft and underwent an urgent repair with pseudoaneurysm excision and extra-anatomic placement of an autologous venous graft. Microbiology examination revealed Aspergillus fumigatus infection of the graft, which is a very rare condition. Long-term antifungal medication has been administrated with positive outcome. Only a few cases have been reported in literature, mainly involving aortic grafts. Most patients are immunocompetent and with late presentation. Successful outcome can only be achieved with long-term antifungal treatment and extra-anatomic replacement of the graft.

Background: Chronic invasive fungal sinusitis (CIFS) is a rare subtype of mycotic diseases involving the paranasal sinuses. It is characterized by a slow onset and invasive organisms with non-granulomatous inflammation seen on histopathology. Historically, treatment has involved radical surgical resection. The purpose of this study was to describe the presentation, comorbidities, and role of more conservative treatment options., Methods: This is a multi-institutional retrospective case series of 6 patients with CIFS over 15 years. Patients' medical comorbidities, imaging results, operative procedures, pathological findings including organisms identified, antimicrobial medications used, and outcomes were reviewed., Results: The mean time from onset of symptoms to diagnosis was 6 months. Cultures and fungal PCR identified Aspergillus species in every case. All 6 patients were found to have systemic comorbidities, with many being diabetic. Imaging findings ranged from thickening of sinus mucosa to invasion of the orbit and skull base. Treatment included long-term antifungal therapy and conservative endoscopic surgery in all but 1 patient, who had an open approach. Every patient was free of invasive fungal disease at last follow-up, with a range of 1 to 27 months., Conclusion: CIFS is an insidious disease often with months between symptom onset and diagnosis. It is differentiated from chronic granulomatous invasive fungal sinusitis (CGIFS) by a lack of granulomas on histopathology and an association with diabetes mellitus. Endoscopic debridement combined with long-term oral voriconazole was an effective treatment strategy in this series., (© 2016 ARS-AAOA, LLC.)