The American journal of emergency medicine
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Review Case Reports
Bilateral patellar tendon ruptures without predisposing systemic disease or steroid use: a case report and review of the literature.
Simultaneous bilateral patellar tendon rupture occurs rarely and is even rarer in patients without systemic disease or predisposing conditions. We present a case of bilateral, midsubstance patellar tendon ruptures along with a partial anterior cruciate ligament tear from a fall from a standing height in an otherwise healthy adult without any predisposing conditions. Most patients that sustain a tendon rupture have risk factors for tendonopathy including chronic renal disease, systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, or exposure to medications (such as corticosteroids or fluoroquinolones). ⋯ Most of the reports of a bilateral tendon rupture without systemic disease occurred in the inferior pole of the tendon, with only a few of these occurring in the midsubstance. Because of the rarity of this event in a patient without systemic disease, this condition is often misdiagnosed. Emergency physicians should maintain a high degree of suspicion in those patients with concerning clinical and/or radiographic findings.
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Understanding biochemical concepts can assist in the diagnosis and treatment of certain presentations in the emergency department. Knowledge of the biochemistry responsible for certain presentations in the emergency department as well as behind various therapies also provides physicians better insight into the use of specific treatments. This review will focus on the biochemistry of numerous clinical syndromes, including methemoglobinemia, various poisoning presentations, including cyanide, methanol, and ethylene glycol--with an emphasis on the diagnostic and management considerations in these presentations.
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Review Case Reports
Pulseless electrical activity in cardiac arrest: electrocardiographic presentations and management considerations based on the electrocardiogram.
Pulseless electrical activity (PEA), a cardiac arrest rhythm scenario with an associated poor prognosis, is defined as cardiac electrical activity without a palpable pulse. Considering both outpatient and inpatient cardiac arrest presentations, PEA as a rhythm group has been increasing over the past 10 to 20 years with a corresponding decrease in the "shockable" rhythms, such as pulseless ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation. This review focuses on electrocardiographic findings encountered in PEA cardiac arrest presentations with an emphasis on recognition of patients with a potential opportunity for successful resuscitation.