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Query: UMLS:C0014118 (endocarditis)
 15,629 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Neurologic complications occur frequently in patients with cancer. After routine chemotherapy, these complications are the most common reason for hospitalization of these patients. Brain metastases are the most prevalent complication, affecting 20 to 40 percent of cancer patients and typically presenting as headache, altered mental status or focal weakness. Other common metastatic complications are epidural spinal cord compression and leptomeningeal metastases. Cord compression can be a medical emergency, and the rapid institution of high-dose corticosteroid therapy, radiation therapy or surgical decompression is often necessary to preserve neurologic function. Leptomeningeal metastases should be suspected when a patient presents with neurologic dysfunction in more than one site. Metabolic encephalopathy is the common nonmetastatic cause of altered mental status in cancer patients. Cerebrovascular complications such as stroke or hemorrhage can occur in a variety of tumor-related conditions, including direct invasion, coagulation disorders, chemotherapy side effects and nonbacterial thrombotic endocarditis. Radiation therapy is the most commonly employed palliative measure for metastases. Chemotherapy or surgical removal of tumors is used in selected patients.
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PMID:Neurologic complications of systemic cancer. 1006 11

We present the case of a 49-year-old man with a bicuspid aortic valve who presented to the emergency department with limb weakness and a fever. Blood tests revealed a fulminant septic process with Haemophilus parainfluenzae bacteraemia, anaemia and thrombocytopenia. Imaging revealed a cervical spinal abscess and discitis causing spinal cord compression, in addition to multiple cerebral septic emboli, pleural effusions and ascites. A transoesophageal echocardiogram (TOE) performed post decompression of his spinal collection showed native aortic valve endocarditis with an associated large aortic root abscess. He underwent successful aortic valve surgery and a 6-week course of antibiotic therapy and made an excellent clinical recovery with no long-term complications from his condition.
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PMID:An aggressive form of Haemophilus parainfluenzae infective endocarditis presenting with limb weakness. 2986 72