Lessons from an unusual case: malignancy associated hypercalcemia, pancreatitis and respiratory failure due to ARDS.
A 37-year old woman, presenting with severe hypercalcaemia-associated pancreatitis with pseudocyst formation, was admitted to intensive care because she developed ARDS with respiratory failure. Skeletal metastasis from non-small cell bronchial carcinoma were subsequently diagnosed. After she developed arterial occlusion in the lower limb, supportive treatment was withdrawn. Severe pancreatitis is an exceedingly unusual presentation of non-small cell bronchial carcinoma. Concepts of diagnostic and therapeutic strategies in the context of suspected unusual pathology, and the concept of futility are briefly discussed.
Wymenga
A N
AN
Department of Internal Medicine, Groningen University, The Netherlands.
van der Werf
T S
TS
van der Graaf
W T
WT
Tulleken
J E
JE
Zijlstra
J G
JG
Ligtenberg
J J
JJ
D000328:Adult; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000556:secondary / Q000628:therapy; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006934:Hypercalcemia / Q000209:etiology*; D007866:Leg; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000209:etiology*; D011644:Puerperal Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012128:Respiratory Distress Syndrome / Q000209:etiology*; D013924:Thrombophlebitis / Q000209:etiology