J Emerg Med
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Review Case Reports
Tangential gunshot wound to the chest causing venous air embolism: a case report and review.
This is a case report of a 53-year-old woman who presented to the Emergency Department after sustaining a tangential gunshot wound to the left anterior chest wall. On arrival, the patient was somnolent, hypotensive, hypoxic, and had impaired speech. The patient's cardiopulmonary status stabilized quickly after fluid resuscitation and supplemental oxygen. ⋯ There are numerous case reports of venous air embolism (VAE) after penetrating neck, chest, and abdominal injuries, surgical procedures, or secondary to unintentional air injection through venous catheters. Due to the wide range of neurological and cardiopulmonary clinical presentations, the non-specific signs and symptoms of VAE may frequently be attributed to other causes, especially in the setting of trauma. An overview of the pathophysiology, clinical presentation, diagnosis, and treatment of VAE is presented, with emphasis on diagnostic imaging modalities.
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Review Case Reports
Suspected brown recluse envenomation: a case report and review of different treatment modalities.
The Loxosceles reclusa, commonly known as the brown recluse spider, is responsible for virtually all cases of spider bites leading to a significant necrosis. ⋯ This is an endemic cause of a necrotizing wound bite in areas of the Midwestern and Southern United States, but it is rarely reported in the Northeast.