PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

Phillip A Isotalo

Publications and source records attributed to Phillip A Isotalo.

13 recordsLinked to original sources

Multifocal penile epithelioid hemangioendothelioma masquerading as superficial penile vein thrombosis.

A 42-year-old man presented with a progressively painful mass of the penile shaft that clinically resembled superficial penile vein thrombosis. The patient's symptoms were refractory to conservative therapy, and surgical excision revealed multifocal penile epithelioid hemangioendothelioma. He had no evidence of metastatic disease and was well 1 year after excision. Vascular neoplasms should be included in the differential diagnosis of painful penile masses and penile thrombophlebitis. To our knowledge, this is only the second reported case of multifocal penile epithelioid hemangioendothelioma.

Adult↗

Aspergillus fumigatus pacemaker lead endocarditis: a case report and review of the literature.

The diagnosis of fungal endocarditis requires a high index of clinical suspicion. Rarely, pacemaker implantation may be a risk factor for the development of fungal endocarditis. A 71-year-old man with a history of multiple transvenous pacemaker manipulations and fever of an uncertain source is described. A diagnosis of culture-negative pacemaker endocarditis was established only after repeat transthoracic echocardiography. Amphotericin B was instituted; however, the patient developed a cerebral infarct and died. Postmortem examination demonstrated Aspergillus fumigatus within a large pacemaker lead thrombus, tricuspid and aortic valve vegetations, and septic pulmonary and renal emboli. The present report describes the clinical and pathological features of a rare case of Aspergillus fumigatus pacemaker lead endocarditis and suggests that serial echocardiograms may be effective in the early detection of pacemaker lead vegetations. The diagnostic features and therapeutic management of pacemaker lead endocarditis are reviewed.

Aged↗

Surgical pathology of noninfectious ascending aortitis: a study of 45 cases with emphasis on an isolated variant.

BACKGROUND: Aortitis is emerging as an important cause of ascending aortic aneurysm in the elderly. Its features have not been described in a surgical population. DESIGN: Retrospective clinicopathologic review of 45 cases of active noninfectious aortitis among 513 consecutive ascending aortic resections (1985 to 1999). METHODS: Clinical data were collected from medical records. Histopathologic features were recorded during review of slides stained with hematoxylin-eosin and Verhoeff-van Gieson. Cases were categorized by predefined clinical criteria. Clinicopathologic features were compared among groups, with emphasis on unsuspected aortitis without systemic arteritis. RESULTS: The 2 largest groups were isolated aortitis (47%) and giant cell arteritis (31%). Other aortitis groups included Takayasu (14%), rheumatoid (4%), and unclassified (4%). Patients with isolated aortitis and giant cell arteritis were generally women (80%; mean age 73 y). All 6 with Takayasu arteritis were women (mean age 26). Although giant cell arteritis and isolated aortitis were histologically indistinguishable, their clinical courses differed substantially. Among 21 patients with isolated aortitis (2 treated with corticosteroids), only 10% later developed aortic aneurysms. In contrast, of 14 patients with giant cell arteritis (11 treated with corticosteroids), 21% subsequently developed aneurysms (P=0.09). CONCLUSIONS: Aortitis primarily affected women. Patients with isolated aortitis and giant cell arteritis were generally older than 50 years and, by definition, those with Takayasu arteritis were younger. In patients with isolated aortitis, outcomes were generally good, despite the absence of anti-inflammatory therapy. Accordingly, a conservative approach may be warranted for managing this subset of patients with aortitis.

Aged↗

Epiglottic histoplasmosis presenting in a nonendemic region: a clinical mimic of laryngeal carcinoma.

Histoplasma capsulatum is a dimorphic fungus endemic to North America. Histoplasmosis is primarily an inhalation-acquired mycosis that is encountered rarely outside of endemic regions. In nonendemic regions, histoplasmosis may present a diagnostic challenge and both clinical and laboratory vigilance are required to accurately identify infection. Unusual clinical presentations with limited physical findings may compound the difficulty in diagnosis. We describe a 78-year-old retired soil science professor who presented with an eroded epiglottic mass secondary to disseminated histoplasmosis in a nonendemic region (Alberta). Clinically, this mass was thought to represent a primary laryngeal carcinoma, as no other buccal or oropharyngeal ulcers were identified. Histoplasmosis was confirmed by tissue biopsy and a positive immunodiffusion test for immunoglobulin G. Disseminated histoplasmosis is often associated with laryngeal and oropharyngeal disease; however, isolated epiglottic histoplasmosis is rare. Histoplasmosis should be included in the differential diagnosis of neoplasms and chronic ulcers of the upper aerodigestive tract.

Aged↗

Adenomatoid tumor of the adrenal gland: a clinicopathologic study of five cases and review of the literature.

We report the clinicopathologic, immunophenotypic, DNA ploidy, and MIB-1 proliferative findings of five adenomatoid tumors of the adrenal gland. All patients were male, and tumors were incidental radiologic, surgical, or autopsy findings. Mean patient age at diagnosis was 41 years (range 31-64 years). The tumors ranged from 1.2 to 3.5 cm (mean 2.8 cm; median 3.2 cm) in greatest dimension, and all originated within the adrenal gland. The tumors were composed of anastomosing variably sized tubules lined by epithelioid as well as flattened cells. Signet-ring-like cells were present in all cases. The previously described histologic patterns of adenomatoid tumor, adenoid, angiomatoid, cystic, and solid, were observed, and each tumor contained multiple histologic patterns. In three of five cases, there was extra-adrenal extension of tumor into periadrenal adipose tissue. All adenomatoid tumors infiltrated the adrenal cortex, and in four cases the adrenal medulla was involved. All tumors exhibited strong immunoreactivity for calretinin, cytokeratins AE1/AE3, and CAM 5.2, cytokeratin 7, and vimentin. Tumors showed weak and focal immunoreactivity for cytokeratin 5/cytokeratin 6 and were negative for CD15, CD31, CD34, cytokeratin 20, MOC31, and polyclonal carcinoembryonic antigen. Ploidy analysis using Feulgen-stained sections and image analysis showed that three tumors were diploid and two were tetraploid. Tumors exhibited low MIB-1 proliferative activity, ranging from 0.2% to 2.7% (mean 1.6%). In three cases with clinical follow-up, no recurrence or metastases occurred. Adrenal gland adenomatoid tumors are morphologically and immunophenotypically identical to adenomatoid tumors of the genital tract and appear benign.

Adenoma↗

Extragenital adenomatoid tumor of a mediastinal lymph node.

Adenomatoid tumors are benign neoplasms found predominantly in male and female genital tracts. Rare extragenital adenomatoid tumors have been discovered that involve serosal surfaces and nonmesothelial-lined organs such as adrenal glands. Since the discovery of adenomatoid tumors, their histogenetic origin has been debated. Many researchers support a mesothelial cell origin for adenomatoid tumors because these tumors characteristically express a mesothelial phenotype. Tumor derivation from primitive pluripotent mesenchymal cells and coelomic epithelium also has been suggested because of the anatomical distribution of the tumors. Despite their characteristic mesothelial phenotype and histological appearance, adenomatoid tumors have an extensive differential diagnosis that includes vascular neoplasms, malignant mesothelioma, germ cell tumors, and metastatic adenocarcinoma. Recognition of these tumors may be especially difficult when examined at frozen section and when adenomatoid tumors are encountered in rare extragenital sites. We describe an adenomatoid tumor of a mediastinal lymph node that was found incidentally during a redo Collis-Nissen gastroplasty. On frozen section examination, this tumor was misinterpreted as metastatic adenocarcinoma. The hematoxylin-eosin histological, immunohistochemical, and ultrastructural studies confirmed the mesothelial phenotype of this tumor. To our knowledge, this is the first description of a lymph node adenomatoid tumor.

Adenocarcinoma↗

Intestinal epithelial lesions associated with signet ring cell carcinoma of the colon and small intestine.

AIMS: The purpose of this study was to investigate the epithelial lesions associated with signet ring cell carcinoma (SRCC) of the colon and small intestine and the possible mechanism of tumour development. METHODS: Twenty-seven cases of adenocarcinoma with a signet ring cell (SRC) component of the colon and small intestine were divided into three groups depending on the association of the SRCC with: (1) epithelium without definite epithelial dysplasia, (2) adenoma, and (3) common type of adenocarcinoma (CTCA) with SRCC component occupying more than 50%, 30%, or less than 30% of the tumour. RESULTS: Most carcinomas were of T3 or T4 type, using the TNM standard staging system. The SRCC component was histopathologically similar in all groups. In group 1 (four cases, linitis plastica type), the overlying epithelium was normal or showed indefinite epithelial dysplasia and occasionally contained intra-epithelial SRCs. In groups 2 and 3 (two and 21 cases, respectively), seven cases contained multiple foci of intra-epithelial SRCs in areas separated from the invasive carcinoma. Transitional areas between SRCC and adenoma or CTCA were also identified. Immunostaining for p53 showed a varied extent of positive reactivity in 23 SRCC. The degree and the extent of reactivity appeared to increase with the stage of the carcinoma. Most intra-epithelial SRCs were immunoreactive for p53. Linitis plastica SRCC was associated with extensive p53 reactivity of the 'atypical' and the adjacent 'normal' epithelium. CONCLUSIONS: SRCC may arise from either CTCA, adenoma, 'atypical' epithelium or a combination of these epithelia. SRCC accounts for the bulk of carcinoma in each of these categories. In linitis plastica SRCC, positive reactivity for p53 is extensive in the adjacent 'normal' colonic epithelium and extends as far as 3cm from the microscopically identified SRCC margin.

Adenoma↗