The American journal of emergency medicine
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Case Reports
Arterial emboli of the upper extremity presenting as ischemic heart disease: case report and review.
A case of brachial artery embolism presenting as ischemic coronary artery disease is presented. The patient presented with sudden onset of left arm pain, shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting, and diaphoresis. Initial relief with sublingual nitroglycerin was seen. ⋯ Delay in diagnosis and treatment can lead to substantial morbidity, including gangrene and amputation. Misdiagnosis is common, as it is seen in the same patients at risk for ischemic heart disease, stroke, and other vascular abnormalities. An awareness of this problem is important among those who initially evaluate patients in emergency departments.
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To determine whether aluminum foreign bodies located in the soft tissues of small body parts are radiopaque, six pieces of aluminum (0.5 mm x 0.5 mm x 1 mm; 0.5 mm x 0.5 mm x 2 mm; 0.5 mm x 0.5 mm x 4 mm; 1 mm x 1 mm x 1 mm; 1 mm x 1 mm x 2 mm; and 1 mm x 1 mm x 4 mm in size) were placed in a chicken wing model and anteroposterior and lateral radiographs of the preparation were obtained. Aluminum fragments (of all sizes used) were easily discernible when projected away from bone. The authors conclude that aluminum foreign bodies located in the soft tissues of small body parts are radiopaque.
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Systemic acidosis occurs during cardiac arrest and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). The present study investigated the effect of different modes of sodium bicarbonate administration on blood gas parameters during CPR. Arterial and venous blood gases were obtained during 10 minutes of CPR which was preceded by 3 minutes of unassisted ventricular fibrillation in 36 dogs. ⋯ Significant differences compared with NS treatment in venous pH were observed at 12 minutes of ventricular fibrillation (L+I, 7.27 +/- 0.05; NS, 7.15 +/- 0.05; B, 7.20 +/- 0.05; I, 7.24 +/- 0.04, each bicarbonate treatment versus NS, and L+I versus B, (P < .05). The B group had an elevated venous PCO2 (mm Hg) concentration following 6 minutes of ventricular fibrillation compared with NS, L+I, and I groups (81 +/- 14 versus 69 +/- 10 versus 68 +/- 10 versus 71 +/- 8, respectively, (P = .07). Arterial pH and PCO2 values showed a similar trend as the venous data with the L+I group demonstrating arterial alkalosis (pH > 7.45) at 12 minutes of ventricular fibrillation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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The timing of trauma patient intubation is dependent on clinical presentation and clinician judgment. We sought to correlate the timing of intubation with the presenting of physiologic parameters and clinical outcome to identify potential quality assurance audit filters. Patients (n = 82) were grouped by timing of intubation: PREHOSPITAL, paramedic intubation; IMMEDIATE, within 10 minutes of arrival; DELAYED, beyond 10 minutes but within 2 hours of arrival; and NONURGENT, beyond 2 hours or at the time of surgery. ⋯ Patients in the NONURGENT group were older and commonly presented with tachypnea. The survival rate for the NONURGENT group was lower than predicted by the TRISS method (P = .004). A GCS < or = 13 and age greater than 50 years with presenting respiratory rates of more than 25 breaths/min represent potential trauma intubation audit filters.