J Emerg Med
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We describe a case of intermediate syndrome after chlorpyrifos ingestion in a toddler, despite a continuous pralidoxime infusion. A 16-month-old girl ingested a pesticide containing chlorpyrifos. She was brought to an Emergency Department where she became lethargic and tachycardic, and subsequently developed pulmonary edema requiring mechanical ventilation. ⋯ She was emergently re-intubated. The child's delayed onset of respiratory arrest and flaccid paralysis after an asymptomatic period is consistent with Intermediate Syndrome. This is an unusual case in that it occurred in a young child, was related to chlorpyrifos, and occurred despite continuous and adequate oxime therapy.
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The purpose of this study was to measure, in a population of experienced state-certified paramedics, the decline of Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) course concepts during the 2-year recertification cycle recommended by the American Heart Association. The PALS course contains a written examination designed to measure understanding of course concepts. To successfully complete the course, a PALS course participant must achieve a minimum grade of 84% on this test. ⋯ The average retest score was 16 points lower than the original test score. The original test score did not reliably predict a passing grade on the retest. We conclude that the average decline of PALS course principles is such that a 2-year retraining schedule is appropriate for prehospital personnel caring for an average of three to four pediatric patients per month.
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Abrupt withdrawal from clonidine therapy is a well-known cause of hyperadrenergic symptoms, but reports of acute myocardial infarction are extremely rare. We present the case of an 86-year-old woman who developed severe hypertension and a myocardial infarction 36 h after terminating her therapy of clonidine, 0.4 mg/day. Symptoms quickly responded to the administration of labetolol and diazepam. Subsequent cardiac catheterization showed no evidence of coronary occlusion, suggesting that excessive myocardial oxygen demand was responsible for the infarction.
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Two patients who presented to the Emergency Department (ED) in shock with severe pelvic fractures were evaluated for intra-abdominal injury with a focused assessment with sonography in trauma (FAST) examination. Free intraperitoneal fluid was identified in the hepato-renal recess of both patients. At laparotomy both patients were found to have extensive uroperitoneum resulting from intraperitoneal bladder rupture and no other intra-abdominal injuries. ⋯ The utility of FAST examinations in the setting of major pelvic injury is relatively unstudied. Coincident injuries make the evaluation for source of hemorrhage in this subset of patients challenging. This is a report of sonographic intraperitoneal fluid in the setting of major pelvic injury and hemodynamic instability found to be uroperitoneum and not hemoperitoneum.