The American journal of emergency medicine
-
Gluteraldehyde is an effective and widely used disinfectant. Despite the large volume of endoscopic procedures carried out, gluteraldehyde-induced colitis is rare. It typically presents with acute onset of lower abdominal pain, fever, and bloody stool, within hours to up to 2 days of endoscopy. Even though a self-limiting condition, it is important for front line clinicians to be aware of this entity as procedure related complications is of major concern to patients and healthcare providers.
-
Spontaneous spinal epidural hematoma (SSEH) is a rare but real neurosurgical emergency. It is caused by atraumatic rupture of the vertebral epidural vein that results in nerve root or spinal cord compression. Most cases of SSEH have a multifactorial etiology, including congenital and acquired coagulopathies; platelet dysfunction; vascular malformation; tumors; uncontrolled hypertension; pregnancy; and, very rarely, activities requiring Valsalva. ⋯ Playing the piano is a joyful, relaxing entertainment; however, this musical activity can be a highly demanding physical and mental exercise for pianists. Emotional and expressive performance, especially in professional performing, has been reported to result in significant increase of sympathetic and decrease of parasympathetic activities and thus influence the cardiorespiratory variables. The increased biomechanical stress from fluctuating hemodynamics was thought to trigger the rupture of her spinal arteriovenous malformation.