The American journal of emergency medicine
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Case Reports
A case of toxic transdermal absorption of isopropyl alcohol with falsely elevated creatinine.
Transdermal absorption of isopropyl alcohol (IPA) can cause toxicity at high doses, but case reports of this phenomenon are limited. This is a single patient encounter and chart review describing a 33-year-old previously healthy female who presented obtunded, wrapped in IPA soaked round cotton pads with overlying shrink wrap, her family's home remedy for a mild persistent rash. This case highlights several interesting aspects of IPA toxicity, including evidence that toxic doses of IPA are possible through transdermal absorption and creatinine may be falsely elevated due to acetone's interference with the measurement of creatinine on some assays.
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Patients with white-eyed blowout fracture with muscle entrapment in the pediatric population may be misdiagnosed as increased intracranial pressure (ICP) due to the similarity in presenting symptoms. A delay in the correct diagnosis can lead to permanent sequelae including diplopia, permanent loss of vision, and death. In this case report we discuss the treatment of a male pediatric patient who presented in the ED with nausea, confusion, and restricted eye gaze. ⋯ Symptoms of white-eyed orbital blowout fractures with muscle entrapment easily mimic symptoms of head trauma with increased ICP. Misdiagnosis of trapdoor orbital fractures with entrapment can be avoided by ordering and critically reviewing an orbital CT and requesting an ophthalmologic consultation in the ED to evaluate extraocular movement. This report should help to increase awareness of symptoms of white-eyed orbital blowout fractures with muscle entrapment, prevent confusion with elevated ICP, and assist accurate and timely diagnosis in the ED to arrange appropriate management and surgical intervention to ensure best outcomes.
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Case Reports
A first trimester pregnancy with cerebrovascular accident treated with thrombolytic therapy.
Pregnant patients are at increased risk of cerebrovascular accident due to the prothrombotic state of pregnancy. This risk is highest in those with pre-eclampsia and eclampsia as well as those of Asian descent. ⋯ As a result, there are significant challenges concerning the management of this unique patient population. We describe a case of an early first trimester cerebrovascular accident treated with systemic thrombolysis.