Pediatrics
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We present the case of a 3-month-old girl who had unrepaired Tetralogy of Fallot who presented to the emergency department with an acute hypoxic episode. The patient was hyperpneic and cyanotic, with an initial oxygen saturation of 56%. ⋯ A single dose of intranasal fentanyl was administered with subsequent resolution of her symptoms and improvement of her oxygen saturation to 78% within 10 minutes. To our knowledge, this is the first report of the successful treatment of a hypoxic episode of Tetralogy of Fallot using intranasal fentanyl.
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Case Reports
Posterior spinal cord infarction due to fibrocartilaginous embolization in a 16-year-old athlete.
Spinal cord infarction is extremely rare in children, and, similar to cerebrovascular infarcts, the pathogenesis is different from adults. Spinal cord infarcts are most commonly reported in adults in the context of aortic surgery; in children, the etiology is frequently unknown. Fibrocartilaginous embolization is a potential cause of spinal cord infarct in both populations. ⋯ Our original concern was for an inflammatory process of the spinal cord; however, given her history of competitive tumbling and degenerative disc changes on her initial spine magnetic resonance imaging scan, diffusion-weighted imaging was performed, which demonstrated acute spinal cord infarction. Unlike many cases of spinal cord infarction, our patient was fortunate to make a near-complete recovery. This case highlights the importance of recognizing rare causes of spinal cord pathology and considering infarction in the differential diagnosis of acute myelopathy because management and prognosis varies.
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Comparative Study
Comparison of rapid cranial MRI to CT for ventricular shunt malfunction.
To compare the accuracy of rapid cranial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with that of computed tomography (CT) for diagnosing ventricular shunt malfunction. ⋯ Rapid cranial MRI was not inferior to CT for diagnosing ventricular shunt malfunction and offers the advantage of sparing a child ionizing radiation exposure.
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To develop guidelines for performing initial skeletal survey (SS) in children <24 months old with fractures, based on available evidence and collective judgment of experts from diverse pediatric specialties. ⋯ A multispecialty panel reached agreement on multiple clinical scenarios for which initial SS is indicated in young children with fractures, allowing for synthesis of clinical guidelines with the potential to decrease disparities in care and increase detection of abuse.
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Currently, the US Food and Drug Administration does not regulate electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) marketing unless it is advertised as a smoking cessation aid. To date, the extent to which youth and young adults are exposed to e-cigarette television advertisements is unknown. The objective of this study was to analyze trends in youth and young adult exposure to e-cigarette television advertisements in the United States. ⋯ E-cigarette companies currently advertise their products to a broad audience that includes 24 million youth. The dramatic increase in youth and young adult television exposure between 2011 and 2013 was driven primarily by a large advertising campaign on national cable networks. In the absence of evidence-based public health messaging, the current e-cigarette television advertising may be promoting beliefs and behaviors that pose harm to the public health. If current trends in e-cigarette television advertising continue, awareness and use of e-cigarettes are likely to increase among youth and young adults.