J Emerg Med
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Case Reports
Appendix Invagination Mimicking Ileocecal Intussusception in a Pediatric Patient: A Case Report.
Appendix invagination is a rare cause of right lower quadrant abdominal pain. Clinical findings are not specific and can mimic a wide range of diseases. ⋯ An 8-year-old girl was admitted with abdominal pain lasting for 2 weeks. Clinical and radiologic findings suggested ileocecal intussusception initially. A failed hydrostatic reduction attempt and subsequent abdominal ultrasound and computed tomography studies showed that the underlying pathology was invagination of the vermiform appendix. The patient was managed conservatively and spontaneous reduction was observed during follow-up. She underwent appendectomy 9 months later due to chronic appendicitis. WHY SHOULD AN EMERGENCY PHYSICIAN BE AWARE OF THIS?: Appendix invagination should be kept in mind while evaluating patients with suspected ileocecal intussusception. In distinguishing between these two conditions, a blind-ending invaginating segment is an important clue in favor of appendix intussusception.
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Headaches are one of the most common afflictions in adults and reasons for emergency department (ED) visits. ⋯ Individual EP risk tolerance, as measured by RTS, and malpractice concerns, measured by MFS, were not predictive of CT use in patients with isolated headaches.
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Although thoracic aortic dissections are uncommon in young patients, they must be considered in the differential diagnosis in the presence of chest pain and abnormal vital signs. Although computed tomography angiography is the test of choice for thoracic dissection in the emergency department, point of care (POC) transthoracic echocardiography has a high specificity in the diagnosis of this disease. It is especially helpful in patients with proximal ascending dissections in the presence of a pericardial effusion. ⋯ This case report illustrates a young patient presenting with chest pain, persistent tachycardia, and fever with a presumed upper respiratory infection who had an ascending thoracic dissection with tamponade discovered on POC echocardiography. WHY SHOULD AN EMERGENCY PHYSICIAN BE AWARE OF THIS?: POC echocardiography should be an important part of the algorithm in young patients presenting with chest pain and abnormal vital signs that do not improve with supportive measures. Definitive care in patients who present with a thoracic aortic dissection in the presence of cardiac tamponade diagnosed on POC echocardiography should not be delayed in order to wait for other imaging methods to be performed. POC echocardiography may expedite care and treatment in young patients presenting with this deadly disease.
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As the incidence of left bundle branch blocks (LBBBs) and paced-rhythms electrocardiograms (ECGs) increase in the aging global population, the need for rapid and accurate diagnosis of ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) or STEMI equivalents in patients with these rhythms becomes more imperative. The Sgarbossa and Smith-modified Sgarbossa criteria have been documented to enhance the diagnosis of STEMI in the setting of LBBBs. However, there is a growing body of literature that suggests that these criteria can also be applied for the diagnosis of STEMI in patients with paced rhythms. ⋯ We present the case of an 84-year old man who was on admission for cellulitis when he developed acute respiratory distress. An ECG revealed findings that were consistent with positive Smith-modified Sgarbossa criteria, upon which the diagnosis of STEMI was made. WHY SHOULD AN EMERGENCY PHYSICIAN BE AWARE OF THIS?: Although the sensitivity and specificity of these criteria in paced rhythms is not well documented, if a patient meets these criteria in an appropriate clinical setting, cardiac catheterization laboratory activation by an emergency physician could be appropriate.
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Observational Study
Association of Overall Opioid Prescriptions on Adolescent Opioid Abuse.
Opioid abuse is a public health epidemic in the United States. Much literature has focused on the prescribing practices of physicians and opioid misuse by adults. However, there are limited data on the effect of opioid prescriptions on adolescent recreational ingestion of these medications. ⋯ There appears to be an association between opioid prescriptions nationally and poison center calls for adolescent opioid ingestions. This is particularly important in this patient population because of impulsivity and early exposure to substance abuse. Providers should be aware of the nonmedical use of opioids by adolescents and educate patients accordingly.