European journal of emergency medicine : official journal of the European Society for Emergency Medicine
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Temporary henna tattoos are a popular fashion accessory in recent years. The tattoo dye consists of henna extract from the plant Lawsonia, and p-phenylenediamine to create a darker shade to the tattoo. ⋯ I present two cases of reactions to temporary tattoos in children attending the emergency department. The acute management of these cases and the possible future consequences of sensitization to p-phenylenediamine are discussed.
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Case Reports
Suicidal bus bombing of French Nationals in Pakistan: physical injuries and management of survivors.
Suicidal bombing is particularly devastating and an increasingly common form of terrorist violence. In this paper, we present an epidemiologic description of the physical injuries of patients who survived the suicidal bombing attack in the context of the limited medical resources of a developing nation. ⋯ All of the 12 patients transferred to the Aga Khan University Hospital survived. Unlike the reported injuries, calcaneal fractures were most commonly encountered in the survivors.
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XTC and other amphetamines are considered to be safe by the majority of partying young people who are unaware of (or unwilling to know about) the acute and chronic toxicity of these substances, and these drugs are widespread, illicit stimulants. In this article, we describe four cases of severe acute toxicity due to recreational use of amphetamines 3,4-methylene-dioxymethamphetamine, 3,4-methylenedioxyethylamphetamine, 3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine, 4-methylthioamphetamine or p-methoxyamphetamine, with emphasis on the presenting symptoms and acute treatment in the emergency department.
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The hair-tourniquet syndrome involves circumferential strangulation of an appendage by a human hair or fibre and usually affects infants under the age of 2. It is an emergency condition that induces progressive oedema, ischaemia and tissue necrosis and can lead to the autoamputation of digits or other strangulated structures. ⋯ The prompt diagnosis and treatment of the condition is vital to attain a good outcome and prevent further harm to the child. We report a case of hair-tourniquet syndrome affecting multiple toes of an infant, and suggest that awareness of the condition should be increased to help prevent its potential complications.
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Cocaine-related myocardial infarction is a well-known phenomenon. Concurrent heroin use can mask signs and symptoms of myocardial infarction. We discuss an unusual presentation of myocardial infarction, associated with both cocaine and heroin ("speedball") self-injection, that initially went undiagnosed.