The American journal of emergency medicine
-
Ovarian vein thrombosis is a rare occurrence in the postpartum period. Two cases of postpartum ovarian vein thrombosis are presented. ⋯ Early diagnosis is essential for appropriate treatment and prevention of the potential sequelae that can occur. Computerized tomography with contrast is the optimal imaging modality for the diagnosis.
-
The case of a patient with a false-positive fracture on the panoramic view of the mandible is presented. The patient motion produced a spurious image that perfectly mimicked a fracture without any evidence of motion. To better assess motion artifact, panoramic views of a "phantom" human skull were developed with movement during the exposure. ⋯ Some radiographs were created by movement that mimicked fractures without the telltale signs of motion artifact. These "motion pseudofractures" are diagnosed clinically if the examiner knows that motion can mimic fractures, and all x-ray findings are carefully correlated with clinical findings. Diagnosis of a motion pseudofracture will avoid the additional expense and time of a specialty consultation.
-
Little data exist concerning the actual onset time (time zero) in sudden death (SD) and acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Most studies have focused on describing the warning arrhythmias that occur before SD and AMI and have relied on retrospective analyses of fortuitous data obtained from patients who experience these adverse outcomes while undergoing routine ambulatory holter monitoring. ⋯ Analyses of the serial 12-lead electrocardiographs showed extensive transient silent ST-segment elevations and depressions preceding cardiac arrest and AMI and provided insight in the pathogenesis of SD and AMI. Continuous 12-lead ECG monitoring can identify patients at high risk for SD and AMI and allow physicians to intervene before the development of life-threatening conditions.