J Emerg Med
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Button batteries within the gastrointestinal system are dangerous and must be suspected after any foreign body ingestion. Common complications include esophageal perforation, fistula formation, and esophageal scarring. ⋯ We present this case to increase awareness of spondylodiscitis in patients with neck pain or stiffness and a history of button battery ingestion.
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Drug abuse is a common problem in the United States. Drugs can be acquired in many ways, and can be knowingly or mistakenly misrepresented when sold. Propafenone is an uncommonly encountered class IC antidysrhythmic that is a look-alike for the opioid, oxycodone/acetaminophen 5/325. ⋯ Pharmaceutical drugs are often sold on the street, and often misrepresented. Propafenone HCl 225-mg is an uncommonly encountered pharmaceutical, but is a look-alike for oxycodone/acetaminophen 5/325. An overdose due to propafenone ingestion may present with seizures and a widened QRS complex.
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Case Reports
Cardiac arrest with residual blindness after overdose of Tessalon® (benzonatate) perles.
The extent to which benzonatate (Tessalon®), a structurally similar agent to other local anesthetics including tetracaine and procaine, poses a risk to the public is not fully appreciated as it is still one of the most widely prescribed antitussives available. ⋯ Ingestion of Tessalon®, a seemingly innocuous and widely prescribed antitussive, may pose a risk to patients due to its potential for the rapid development of life-threatening adverse events and limited treatment options in the overdose setting. Rational prescribing and patient education is needed.
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The extrauterine migration of an intrauterine device (IUD) can be life threatening and require emergent surgical intervention and treatment. Migration is usually the result of IUD expulsion or uterine perforation. ⋯ This article presents the case, discusses the incidence, potential causes, predisposing factors, diagnostic modalities, and the course of treatment for this particular diagnosis.
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There is a rising prevalence of both hospital-acquired and community-associated strains of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections. Both strains are found in patients presenting to emergency departments (EDs). ⋯ MRSA does not seem to thrive on inanimate objects found in the ED. Routine cleaning measures in an urban ED must include all areas of medical personnel use, including areas outside of the department utilized by non-ED workers.