Pediatric emergency care
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Pediatric emergency care · Dec 2023
Review Case ReportsEchinococcal Cyst Rupture in a 3-Year-Old Boy With a Minor Abdominal Trauma Identified by a Point-of-Care Ultrasound E-Fast Examination: A Case Report and Literature Review.
Point-of-care ultrasound is now widely used in adult and pediatric emergency departments as part of the rapid evaluation and treatment of patients in urgent care settings. It has been shown to be a powerful tool to aid in decision making in both trauma and acute medical situations. We describe a case of a 3-year-old boy who presented with abdominal pain and fever after a minor abdominal trauma, highlighting the use of point-of-care ultrasound to arrive at the diagnosis of a ruptured echinococcal cyst.
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Pediatric emergency care · Nov 2023
Review Case ReportsPoint-of-Care Ultrasound of a Pediatric Gastric Trichobezoar: A Case Report.
This case report describes a previously healthy pediatric patient with acute onset of abdominal pain and distention who was found to have an epigastric mass on physical examination. Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) demonstrated a large gastric mass with ultrasonographic features consistent with a trichobezoar. ⋯ We conclude POCUS may be helpful for evaluation of epigastric masses and diagnosis of gastric trichobezoars. We review the ultrasound technique, sonographic findings, and literature regarding ultrasound diagnosis of trichobezoars.
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Pediatric emergency care · Sep 2023
Review Case ReportsPoint-of-Care Ultrasound for the Diagnosis of Pediatric Foreign Body Ingestion: A Narrative Review and Illustrative Case Report.
Foreign body ingestion (FBI) is a frequent concern in emergency departments. Clinical guidelines recommend performing plain x-rays as the primary modality of diagnosis. Although point-of-care ultrasound (PoCUS) has increasingly been integrated into the daily practice of emergency medicine, it has been poorly investigated in the diagnostic approach for FBI.This review aims to highlight the current state of PoCUS use for pediatric FBI.The following research question was considered in this narrative review: Is PoCUS useful for FBI management? ⋯ This review suggests that PoCUS might be a reliable modality for the initial management of FBI. PoCUS can locate, identify, and evaluate the size of the FB in a wide range of materials and gastrointestinal locations. Point-of-care ultrasound could eventually become the go-to modality in the case of radiolucent FB, thus avoiding the use of radiation. Further studies are nevertheless required to validate PoCUS use for FBI management.
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Pediatric emergency care · Aug 2023
ReviewDiagnosis and Management of Pediatric Gastroesophageal Reflux in the Emergency Department.
Gastroesophageal reflux (GER) is a common physiologic occurrence in infants, children, and adolescents and can develop into a pathological process (GERD) with associated complications. Gastroesophageal reflux is reported in approximately 30% of healthy infants, with a peak age of 3 to 4 months and is a common concern from families presenting to the emergency department. ⋯ This review will briefly discuss diagnostic studies for the evaluation of GER/GERD; however, these are not helpful in the acute care setting and should be reserved for evaluation by a subspecialist. Management of GER/GERD includes nonmedication management with reflux precautions and dietary/lifestyle modifications; medication management with proton-pump inhibitors, H2 blockers, antacids, or prokinetics, as well as surgical management for refractory or high-risk cases.
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Pediatric emergency care · Jul 2023
ReviewDe-escalation Techniques for the Agitated Pediatric Patient.
The emergency department can be a particularly challenging environment for the care of pediatric patients presenting with acute agitation. Agitation is a behavioral emergency requiring prompt intervention. Timely recognition of agitation and proactive implementation of de-escalation strategies are critical for safe and effective management of agitation, as well as prevention of recurrent episodes. This article reviews the definition of agitation, explores the domains of verbal de-escalation, and considers multidisciplinary management strategies for children with acute agitation.