Ammar Bouziani

Amyloid goiter: First manifestation of systemic amyloidosis

Amyloidosis is an abnormal extracellular deposit, which can occur in several tissues. The mechanism is not clearly defined. In systemic amyloidosis, all the organs can be infiltrated, but amyloid goiter as the initial manifestation of systemic amyloidosis is an exceedingly rare condition. We report a rare case of a patient who presented an amyloid goiter as the first manifestation of systemic amyloidosis. This patient had a known Crohns disease. He developed a goiter without compressive complications. Histologic examination revealed a diffuse amyloid deposition surrounding thyroid follicles. The gland was enlarged with an eosinophilic and amorphic deposit. Confirmation of amyloid was made by the presence of congophilia and apple-green birefringence under polarized-light microscopy. An immunoreactivity was seen with AA protein. Amyloid goiter is a rare manifestation of amyloidosis. About 250 cases of amyloid goiter have been reported in the literature. The goiter enlarges rapidly and progressively, often becoming compressive like thyroid cancer. The prognosis depends on the treatment of the amyloidosis and the underlying chronic disease.

A rare cause of a scrotal mass: primary leiomyosarcoma of epididymis

Most masses encountered within the scrotal sac are neoplastic and occur within the testis; however a subset (2–3%) of these tumours is extra-testicular and usually arises from paratesticular tissue. Although uncommon, these tumours have a high incidence of malignancy reaching 30%, mainly represented by sarcomas (90%). Tumours occurring in the paratesticular region may be clinically indistinguishable from testicular tumours, thus resulting in initial misdiagnosis. In addition, the clinical findings are by no means specific to a tumour type and cannot distinguish between a benign and a malignant tumour, which results in difficulty in diagnosis and management. All paratesticular tumours are amenable to adequate surgical resection. Definite diagnosis is determined by histological evaluation. Leiomyosarcoma, the second most common paratesticular sarcoma after liposarcoma, is represented in the literature primarily as case reports. We report a case of LMS arising from the epididymis and focus on clinical presentation and differential diagnosis of such tumours

Supplementation of grape seed and skin extract to orlistat therapy prevents high-fat diet-induced murine spleen lipotoxicity

Spleen is the largest lymphoid organ and obesity is related to an elevated risk of immunity dysfunction. The mechanism whereby fat adversely affects the spleen is poorly understood. This study was designed to assess the effectiveness of grape seed and skin extract (GSSE) and orlistat (Xenical, Xe) on high-fat diet (HFD)-induced spleen lipotoxicity. Obese rats were treated either with GSSE (4 g/kg body weight) or Xe (2 mg/kg body weight) or GSSE+Xe and monitored for weight loss for 3 months. Animals were then sacrificed and their spleen used for the evaluation of lipotoxicity-induced oxidative stress and inflammation as well as the putative protection afforded by GSSE and Xe treatment. HFD induced body weight gain and glycogen accumulation into the spleen; ectopic deposition of cholesterol and triglycerides and an oxidative stress characterized by increased lipoperoxidation and carbonylation; inhibition of antioxidant enzyme activities, such as catalase, glutathione peroxidase, and superoxide dismutase; depletion of zinc and copper; and a concomitant increase in calcium. HFD also increased plasma pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as interleukin (IL)-6, IL-17A, tumour necrosis factor alpha, and C-reactive protein, and decreased plasma IL-10 and adiponectin. Importantly, GSSE counteracted all the deleterious effects of HFD on spleen (i.e., lipotoxicity, oxidative stress, and inflammation) and the best protection was obtained when combining Xe+GSSE. Combining GSSE with Xe prevented against fat-induced spleen lipotoxicity, oxidative stress, and inflammation; this combination may be beneficial in other diseases related to the spleen.

A rare highly aggressive tumor of the kidney: The pure epithelioid angiomyolipoma

Renal epithelioid angiomyolipoma (EAML) has been recognized as a mesenchymal tumor in the 2016 World Health Organization classification of renal tumors, and a member of the family of PEComas, which may occur sporadically or in association with tuberous sclerosis syndrome (TSC). EAML is considered a potentially malignant neoplasm, since one third of the reported cases of EAML developed metastatic lesions. The “pure” form of EAML is extremely rare. It is composed of predominant or pure epithelial component and has minimal to no adipocytic component. We herin report a case of pure EAML of the kidney.

Paratesticular Angiomyofibroblastoma-Like Tumor: Unusual Case of a Solidocystic Form

The angiomyofibroblastoma-like tumor of the male genital tract is a rare benign tumor. A total of 34 cases have been reported in the literature. We herein report an exceptional case of solidocystic form in its paratesticular location, in a 79-year-old man. Clinical examination objectified a right testicular induration. Macroscopic examination of the orchidectomy objectified a paratesticular solidocystic tumor formation. Microscopically, the solid area was composed of vessels with small caliber and turgidity of endothelial cells. These vessels were surrounded by clusters of epithelioid cells, sometimes having the appearance of giant cells. They were associated with spindle cells. The cystic area was uncoated. Immunohistochemically, the fusiform cells expressed Desmin and Smooth Muscle Actin. Endothelial cells and clusters of cells surrounding large vessels expressed CD34. The expression of receptors for estrogen and progesterone was negative. To our knowledge, this is the second solidocystic case of angiomyofibroblastoma-like tumor of male genital tract.