Pediatric emergency care
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Pediatric emergency care · Apr 2017
Case ReportsAn Infant Diagnosed With Hydrocephalus by Point-of-Care Ultrasound.
Point-of-care ultrasound has become a valuable tool for pediatric emergency physicians, with an increasing number of indications being described. In this case presentation, we demonstrate the use of point-of-care ultrasound in the pediatric emergency department to diagnose ventriculomegaly in an infant presenting with a seizure.
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Pediatric emergency care · Apr 2017
Case ReportsPericarditis as the Presenting Feature of Graves Disease in a Pediatric Patient.
Pericarditis is a rare presentation of thyrotoxicosis associated with Graves disease. This association has not been previously described in the pediatric literature. We report a 17-year-old male patient who presented with chest pain, dyspnea, and tachycardia. ⋯ Abnormal thyroid function studies and an elevated thyroid-stimulating hormone receptor antibody level confirmed the diagnosis of Graves thyrotoxicosis. The patient was treated with anti-inflammatory and antithyroid agents and improved in time. We discuss previously reported cases of Graves disease-associated pericarditis in adults, potential etiologies, and management strategies.
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Pediatric emergency care · Apr 2017
Clinician Attitudes Toward Adoption of Pediatric Emergency Telemedicine in Rural Hospitals.
Although there is growing evidence regarding the utility of telemedicine in providing care for acutely ill children in underserved settings, adoption of pediatric emergency telemedicine remains limited, and little data exist to inform implementation efforts. Among clinician stakeholders, we examined attitudes regarding pediatric emergency telemedicine, including barriers to adoption in rural settings and potential strategies to overcome these barriers. ⋯ More effective adoption of pediatric emergency telemedicine among clinicians will require addressing perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use in the context of local factors. Future studies should examine the impact of specific identified strategies on adoption of pediatric emergency telemedicine and patient outcomes in rural settings.
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Rickettsialpox is a rare vector-borne rickettsiosis that manifests in hosts living in urban populations, particularly in New York City. The following is a case discussion of a 12-year-old girl with history of fever and right-ankle swelling. ⋯ She later developed a maculopapular rash completing the classic triad for rickettsialpox: black eschar, papular rash, and fever. Her convalescent rickettsial titers returned positive, confirming the diagnosis of rickettsialpox.
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We report a case of a 22-month-old boy who suffered a piranha bite, amputating his fourth distal phalanx. His finger was irrigated and closed with a flap under sedation, but we could find little evidence during a brief literature search of what prophylactic antibiotics, if any, to provide. Because reports of infections from piranha bites are lacking, we examined studies evaluating oral flora from fish, as well as flora cultured from aquariums. In conclusion, if infection is present or prophylaxis is strongly desired, a broad spectrum oral antibiotic that covers Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria including Pseudomonas and Aeromonas species, such as ciprofloxacin, would be recommended; however, there is little evidence to suggest that prophylactic antibiotics provide benefit over appropriate wound management.