BMJ case reports
-
Case Reports
Pitfall in lung ultrasound: 'pseudo B-line' seen in both hydropneumothorax and in a cup of coffee.
One of the lung ultrasound (LUS) signs which can be used to exclude the presence of pneumothorax is the B-line artefact. The presence of a B-line artefact indicates that the two pleural blades are in contact. Most of the research describing LUS for the diagnosis of pneumothorax is limited to pneumothorax without concomitant pleural effusion. This case report presents how a B-line was visualised using LUS in a patient with hydropneumothorax and, in addition, a simple model is used to provide a possible explanation on this phenomenon.
-
Uvular necrosis following endotracheal general anaesthesia is a rare complication. We report two cases of uvular and soft palate necrosis after atraumatic intubation with endotracheal tube and, in the second case, laryngeal mask airway.
-
Case Reports
Lung ultrasound-guided emergency pneumothorax needle aspiration in a very preterm infant.
Pneumothorax is a frequent critical situation in the neonatal intensive care unit. Diagnosis relies on clinical judgement, transillumination and chest radiogram. We report the case of a very preterm infant suddenly developing significant and persistent desaturation and bradycardia. ⋯ A lung ultrasound scan showed evidence of right pneumothorax that was promptly aspirated. Approximately 20 min later, a chest radiogram confirmed the ultrasound diagnosis. Point-of-care lung ultrasound is a useful tool for detecting symptomatic pneumothorax and accelerating its treatment.
-
We report a previously well 9-year-old boy who presented with an acutely swollen left arm after horse riding. Left subclavian vein thrombosis was demonstrated by MR venography but there was no evidence of an underlying anatomical abnormality. ⋯ In this case and literature review, we demonstrate that individuals with effort-induced UEDVT show demographic characteristics and presenting features that are distinct from other patient groups with venous thromboembolic disease. We also highlight the difficulties in counselling affected individuals about modifying occupational and recreational activities to minimise the risk of recurrent thrombosis.
-
Oxyacetylene welding torches are commonly used in industry, yet serious burns are fortunately rare. When dealing with the sequelae of these burn injuries, one must be aware of the high pressure component of these flame burns, which can penetrate and dissect the subcutaneous tissue. Appropriate initial assessment and preoperative planning are, therefore, essential to exclude and identify problems such as, compartment syndrome, subcutaneous emphysema and acute carpal tunnel syndrome. We present a case in which an innocuous palmar burn revealed a penetrating flame injury into the carpal tunnel.