J Emerg Med
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The vast majority (75%) of ingested foreign bodies pass through the gastrointestinal tract spontaneously and require no surgical intervention. Indeed, the emergency department (ED) management of ingested foreign bodies is largely based on the age of the patient and the time elapsed since ingestion, as well as the physical characteristics of the foreign body. We present this case to emphasize the importance of radiologic imaging studies in the ED management of adults with an acute abdomen of unknown etiology. ⋯ The patient did not report known ingestion of a foreign body. At exploratory laparotomy, a fishhook was recovered despite the patient's unawareness of having ingested a foreign body. The ED management of an otherwise healthy adult with an acute abdomen was facilitated with plain film radiography and abdominal computed tomography.
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In many hospitals, emergency physicians commonly initiate invasive positive-pressure ventilation. ⋯ Although unproven, preventive measures taken before, during, and after endotracheal intubation are likely to minimize the frequency, magnitude, and duration of intubation-related hypotension.
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Case Reports
Unrecognized mediastinal tumor causing sudden tracheal obstruction and out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.
We report a case of a 13-year-old boy with a presumed neck cyst who developed sudden tracheal obstruction and out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. Cardiorespiratory collapse occurred due to an improperly diagnosed mediastinal tumor. This report serves to alert Emergency Physicians and emergency medical services personnel of the rare and rapidly progressive nature of respiratory compromise caused by a mediastinal tumor, which may have lethal consequences if not recognized and treated promptly.
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Case Reports
Liquid nitrogen ingestion leading to massive pneumoperitoneum without identifiable gastrointestinal perforation.
Liquid nitrogen (LN) ingestion is unusual, but may be encountered by poison centers, emergency physicians, and general surgeons. Unique properties of LN produce a characteristic pattern of injury. ⋯ In cases of LN ingestion, mucosal injury and rapid gas formation can cause massive pneumoperitoneum. Although laparotomy is recommended for all patients with signs of perforation, the site of injury may never be identified.
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Communication barriers (CBs) compromise the diagnostic power of the medical interview and may result in increased reliance on diagnostic tests or incorrect test ordering. The prevalence and degree to which these barriers affect diagnosis, testing, and treatment are unknown. ⋯ Communication barriers in our ED setting were common, and resulted in lower diagnostic confidence and increased perception that ancillary tests are needed to narrow the diagnosis.