Although many people are instinctively afraid of spiders, in reality only a very small proportion spiders are harmful. In the US, the black widow spider and the brown recluse spider can inflict potentially dangerous bites, but even these are rarely fatal.(1) Bites from any other spider found in the country are generally mild and can…
More than 40,000 species of spiders have been identified worldwide, although there are actually thought to be four times as many that have not even been classified.(1) Most spiders can accurately be described as venomous,(2) although this is not as alarming as it sounds. Spiders use venom to subdue their prey before bathing them in…
Another topic covered – and another quiz! In the latest short series of articles we have taken a brief look at the devastating condition known as calciphylaxis. Calciphylaxis is a condition that occurs predominantly in individuals with advanced chronic kidney disease, leading to vascular calcification, thrombosis, and skin necrosis. Lack of Treatment Options The pathophysiology…
As we have seen in previous weeks, calciphylaxis is a severe and complex syndrome involving vascular calcification, thrombosis, and skin necrosis. Calciphylaxis occurs almost exclusively in patients with advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD), and has a dismal mortality rate of around 80 percent (with a 1-year mortality greater than 50 percent).(1) No Evidence-Based Medical Treatments…
Calciphylaxis, a rare condition involving subcutaneous vascular calcification and cutaneous necrosis, is most commonly seen in patients with renal failure where it has a dismal mortality rate of up to 80 percent.(1) Calciphylaxis is a complex disorder associated with multiple histologic abnormalities and a multifactorial etiology.(1-3) The exact pathogenesis of the condition is unclear, and…
As we have seen over previous weeks, necrotizing fasciitis (NF) is a relatively uncommon but potential devastating infection of the soft tissues. It can begin as an existing infection in an innocuous wound such as a bite or a scratch but progresses so rapidly that diagnosis and treatment are often left far behind. NF is…
Diagnosis of necrotizing fasciitis (NF) can prove extremely challenging. The condition has many of the same characteristics as cellulitis, and is often diagnosed incorrectly as such.(1) The resulting delay in implementing appropriate treatment can prove catastrophic in such a rapidly progressing condition. Cellulitis or Necrotizing Fasciitis? One key differentiator between NF and cellulitis is the…
Necrotizing fasciitis (NF), or the ‘flesh-eating bug’ as it tends to be known in the press, is an extremely rapidly progressing infection that is difficult to manage and can lead to significant morbidity and mortality. Risk Factors of Necrotizing Fasciitis While anyone with an infection may, in theory, develop NF, in practice the majority of…
Necrotizing fasciitis (NF) is a life-threatening soft tissue infection a condition, often referred to in the press as the ‘flesh-eating bug’ on account of the speed with which the infection spreads. The condition was first described by Hippocrates around the fifth century, and the term “necrotizing fasciitis” was coined by Joseph Jones, a former Confederate…
Over the previous few weeks, we have looked at the condition known as vasculitis, in which the blood vessels become inflamed, leading to necrosis, hemorrhage, ischemia, and infarction. Vasculitis may either be caused by one of a number of identifiable conditions (including diseases of the connective tissue, malignancy, or a drug reaction) or can be…
