The American journal of emergency medicine
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Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is an emerging viral pathogen that causes the novel coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) and may result in hypoxemic respiratory failure necessitating invasive mechanical ventilation in the most severe cases. ⋯ This review provides evidence-based recommendations for the treatment of COVID-19 related respiratory failure requiring invasive mechanical ventilation.
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Patients infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus can present with a wide variety of symptoms including being entirely asymptomatic. Despite having no or minimal symptoms, some patients may have markedly reduced pulse oximetry readings. This has been referred to as "silent" or "apathetic" hypoxia (Ottestad et al., 2020 [1]). ⋯ The patient deteriorated over the following days and eventually died as a result of overwhelming multi-organ system failure. This case highlights the utility of peripheral oxygen measurements in the evaluation of patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection. Self-monitoring of pulse oximetry by patients discharged from the emergency department is a potential way to identify patients needing to return for further evaluation.
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Accessory liver lobe (ALL) is a rare congenital anomaly of the liver and is related to the focal excessive development of liver tissue. Accessory liver lobe torsion (ALLT) is a rare condition that can present with acute abdominal pain. Delay in diagnosis can lead to life-threatening complications such as sepsis and systemic inflammatory response syndrome. ⋯ Contrast-enhanced thoracoabdominal computed tomography (CT) was performed and CT demonstrated the Morgagni hernia and herniation of the accessory liver lobe into the hernia sac. CT showed decreased contrast-enhancement in the accessory liver lobe, compatible with ischemia. We also aimed to emphasize the clinical and CT imaging findings of ALLT.
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Previous research has suggested caution about opioid analgesic usage in the emergency department (ED) setting and raised concerns about variations in prescription opioid analgesic usage, both across institutions and for whom they are prescribed. We examined opioid analgesic usage in ED patients with suspected urolithiasis across fifteen participating hospitals. ⋯ We found marked hospital-level differences in opioid analgesic administration and prescribing, as well as associations with education, healthcare insurance, and race/ethnicity groups. These data might compel clinicians and hospitals to examine their opioid use practices to ensure it is congruent with accepted medical practice.