The cirrhotic patients with ascites present unique challenge to the renal caregiver. Hydrothorax in a cirrhotic patient treated with PD poses a diagnostic dilemma. Proposed mechanisms for the development of a pleuroperitoneal communication include congenital diaphragmatic defects, acquired weakening of diaphragmatic fibers caused by high intra-abdominal pressures during peritoneal dialysis, and impairments in lymphatic drainage. Pleural fluid analysis and diagnostic imaging assist in differentiation from other causes of pleural effusion. We report a case of hydrothorax in a compensated cirrhotic patient after recent introduction to peritoneal dialysis.
Pheochromocytoma is a catecholamine-producing tumor characterized by hypertension, headache, tachycardia, excessive diaphoresis, and angina pectoris. The thunderclap headache is so named because the pain strikes suddenly and severely. Although the symptoms of bladder pheochromocytoma are rather evident, the diagnosis of this rare neuroendocrine tumor can be missed. This study reports the case of a woman diagnosed with bladder pheochromocytoma who experienced thunderclap headache triggered by urination and angina pectoris as an initial manifestation. This case study suggests that thunderclap headache and angina pectoris occurring concurrently with sudden blood pressure elevation during or immediately after urination are important diagnostic clues of bladder pheochromocytoma.
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