High-Velocity Thrust Technique for Traumatic Onset Lateral Elbow Pain

Abstract

A 35 year-old male presented to physical therapy following a fall onto his outstretched right hand. He developed pain and dysfunction in the right lateral epicondyle region. The patient was assessed and received a physical therapy diagnosis of abducted ulna syndrome. The patient was treated with a high-velocity, low-amplitude manipulation technique to the humeroulnar joint. This technique coincided with a restoration in the patient's normal function, along with an elimination of painful symptoms. This case study suggests that a high-velocity, low-amplitude manipulation technique performed by a physical therapist may play an important role in the successful treatment of traumatically induced lateral epicondyle pain.     

Needle Embolization: Suspecting Needle Migration in Intravenous Drug Abusers

BackgroundThirteen million people inject drugs globally, making intravenous drug abuse a substantial concern worldwide. While intravenous drug users occasionally report the breaking of a needle into the skin or subcutaneous tissue, central needle migration remains a rare but potentially devastating complication.Case ReportA 27-year-old man with a history of intravenous drug abuse presented to the emergency department with the sudden onset of left-sided neck pain, chills, and subjective fever with a history of needle breaking in his left neck 3 weeks earlier while using heroin. A computed tomography scan of his chest revealed a needle lodged in the right ventricle with associated mediastinitis and mass effect on the left brachiocephalic vein, and a left internal jugular thrombus. Broad-spectrum antibiotics were initiated. This patient was managed nonsurgically for several reasons and was discharged on hospital day 12 with oral antibiotics.Why Should an Emergency Physician Be Aware of This?Intravenous drug abusers commonly use cervical veins when their peripheral vasculature has become sclerosed. This puts intravenous drug users at increased risk for intravascular embolization. Due to varied symptomology—chest pain, dyspnea, fever, or asymptomatic—and timelines—days, weeks, or months—after reported needle fragmentation, this remains a complex and likely underdiagnosed condition. Case reports describe serious complications of intracardiac needle embolization, such as cardiac perforation, constrictive pericarditis, septic endocarditis, dysrhythmias, granulomas, venous thrombosis, empyema, acute or delayed spontaneous pneumothorax, osteomyelitis, and valvular damage. In this complicated patient population, clinicians should consider needle retention and relocation in patients who report needle breaking or in those who present with chest pain, dyspnea, or fever among other complaints.     

Multimodal physical therapy management of a 48-year-old female with post-stroke complex regional pain syndrome

Abstract

This case report describes a 48-year-old female who presented with complaints of right shoulder pain, hyperesthesias and swelling of the hand along with added symptoms of pain centralization following a cerebrovascular accident. On clinical evaluation, the patient satisfied the Budapest diagnostic criteria for Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) type-1. Physical therapy management (1st three sessions) was initially focused on pain neurophysiology education with an aim to reduce kinesiophobia and reconceptualise her pain perception. The patient had an immediate significant improvement in her pain and functional status. Following this, pain modulation in the form of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, kinesio tape application, “pain exposure” physical therapy and exercise therapy was carried out for a period of 7 weeks. The patient had complete resolution of her symptoms which was maintained at a six-month follow-up.     

Patellofemoral Malalignment

Abstract

This 27 year old male has had increasing bilateral medial knee pain over the last two years with the right knee being worse than the left. After a comprehensive physical therapy examination which included a motion analysis assessment, it was determined that the patient had bilateral patellofemoral malalignment. Customized orthotics which used both rearfoot and forefoot posting allowed this patient to resume his running program.     

Successful management of infected right iliac pseudoaneurysm caused by penetration of migrated inferior vena cava filter: A case report

BACKGROUNDIndwelling inferior vena cava (IVC) filters might cause various complications, including filter penetration, filter fracture, filter migration, and thrombosis of the IVC. Penetration and migration complications are common, while a caudal migrated double-basket filter with associated infected iliac pseudoaneurysm has seldom been reported.CASE SUMMARYWe report a 64-year-old female admitted for sudden onset of severe right abdominal pain after IVC filter placement for 3 mo. The patient had a history of failed endovascular IVC filter retrieval. Computed tomography showed that the retrieval hook of the filter penetrated the right common iliac artery and vein, leading to right iliac artery pseudoaneurysm accompanied by right ureteral obstruction with ipsilateral hydronephrosis, and bilateral iliac veins were occluded. Emergency open repair was performed to remove the IVC filter, the right iliac pseudoaneurysm, and the compromised segments of the iliac veins and IVC with right common iliac artery reconstruction. Staphylococcus aureus was isolated from the tissue culture. The patient was discharged on postoperative day 12 with anticoagulation therapy and antibiotic therapy after discharge. Six-month follow-up computed tomography revealed that the right common iliac artery was patent, and only mild hydronephrosis was detected.CONCLUSIONAn indwelling IVC filter, even ‘embedded’ within organized thrombus, could still cause life-threatening complications. Open procedures remain the last resort for IVC filters with severe complications.     

Robot-assisted laparoscopic pyeloureterostomy for ureteropelvic junction rupture sustained in a traffic accident: A case report

BACKGROUNDUreteral reconstruction is a highly technical type of laparoscopic or open surgery. The incidence of ureteral injury is low; however, ureteral injuries tend to be overtreated. Robotic surgery for urinary reconstructive surgery is growing in popularity, which has made procedures such as pyeloplasty, ureteroureterostomy, and ureteroneocystostomy possible, with minimal damage to the patient. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of robot-assisted laparoscopic pyeloureterostomy in Korea, in a 17-year-old female patient with a ureteral injury.CASE SUMMARYThe patient, a 17-year-old girl without previous medical history, was presented at the emergency room and complained of abdominal and back pain. Tenderness in the right upper quadrant was observed on physical examination. Hemorrhage in the right perirenal space was observed without abdominal organ injuries on the initial enhanced abdomen computed tomography (CT) scan. Ureteral injury was not suspected at this time. The patient was stabilized via conservative treatment, but complained of right flank pain 3 wk later and revisited the emergency room. An enhanced abdominal CT scan revealed a huge urinoma in the right perirenal space with hydronephrosis of the right kidney. Retrograde and antegrade pyelography were performed. Extravasation and discontinuity of the ureter were found. A rupture of the ureteropelvic junction was diagnosed and reconstructive surgery was performed. After 3 mo, the patient did not complain of any symptoms without any abnormal radiologic findings.CONCLUSIONThis case report discusses the safety and effectiveness of this minimal invasive procedure as an alternative to conventional open or laparoscopic surgery.     

Thoracic pyogenic infectious spondylitis presented as pneumothorax: A case report

BACKGROUNDPyogenic infectious spondylitis (PIS) is a rare condition, with an incidence between 0.2 and 2 cases per 100000 per annum. It’s most common symptom—back or neck pain—occurs in more than 90% of cases. Herein, we reported a case of thoracic PIS accompanied by pneumothorax in a 65-year-old male patient.CASE SUMMARYA 65-year-old man presented with right chest pain and dyspnea. The initial erect posteroanterior chest radiography revealed pneumothorax, which was further evaluated by chest computed tomography, revealing pleural effusion in the right lung and a paravertebral abscess with bony destruction of vertebral body. Based on magnetic resonance imaging, the patient was diagnosed with thoracic infectious spondylitis with an anterior paravertebral abscess. He was prescribed antibiotics and underwent neurosurgery due to aggravated symptoms and neurologic deficit. Tissue examination revealed that the cause of pleural effusion and pneumothorax was Staphylococcus aureus infection contiguously spread to lung pleura. After several surgical treatments with intravenous antibiotic therapy for two months and transition to oral antibiotics (rifampin 600 mg qd and ciprofloxacin 500 mg bid), the patient received physical therapy to recover balance. One month after discharge, the patient had no chest pain or dyspnea, and exhibited no elevation in inflammatory markers or new thoracic lesions.CONCLUSIONTo our knowledge, this is the very first report of a case of thoracic PIS with pneumothorax.     

Retroperitoneal laparoscopic partial nephrectomy for unilateral synchronous multifocal renal carcinoma with different pathological types: A case report

BACKGROUNDThe majority of renal cell carcinomas are single lesions; unilateral synchronous multifocal renal carcinoma (USMRC) is rarely reported and poses a treatment challenge for urological oncologists.CASE SUMMARYA 56-year-old man was hospitalized for pain and discomfort in the right kidney area for 6 d. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography demonstrated cT1a renal tumors at the lower pole of the right kidney and a cT1b renal tumor at the middle dorsal portion of the right kidney. The patient underwent retroperitoneal laparoscopic partial nephrectomy (RLPN). There were no complications peri-operatively. Histopathology revealed a low-grade, pathologic stage T1a (pT1a), clear cell renal cell carcinoma at the lower pole of the right kidney and a pT1b, chromophobe renal cell carcinoma at the middle dorsal portion of the right kidney. No tumor bed recurrence or metastasis was observed on imaging and his renal function remained stable during the 12-mo follow-up period.CONCLUSIONRLPN is a safe, effective, and feasible for the management of USMRC, which can obtain equivalent oncological results with optimal renal function preservation.     

Recognition of prodromal cervical spondylotic myelopathy presenting in a U.S. Veteran referred to chiropractic for acute thoracic pain: A case report

ObjectiveTo highlight a patient who was referred to a VA chiropractic clinic for thoracic pain and upon physical exam was found to be myelopathic, subsequently requiring surgery.Clinical featuresA 58-year-old male attended a telephone interview with the VA chiropractic clinic for thoracic pain of 4 months duration; he denied neck pain, upper extremity symptoms or clumsiness of the feet or hands. At his in-person visit, he acknowledged frequently dropping items. The physical examination revealed signs of myelopathy including positive Hoffman's bilaterally, 3+ brisk patellar reflexes, and 5+ beats of ankle clonus bilaterally. He also had difficulty walking heel/toe.Intervention and outcomeCervical and thoracic radiographs were ordered and a referral was placed to the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) Clinic for evaluation of the abnormal neurologic exam and suspicion of cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM). He was treated for 2 visits in the chiropractic clinic for his thoracic pain, with resolution of thoracic symptoms. No treatment was rendered to the cervical spine.The PM&R physician ordered a cervical MRI which demonstrated severe central canal stenosis and increased T2 signal within the cord at C5–C6, representing myelopathic changes. The PM&R specialist referred him to Neurosurgery which resulted in a C5-6, C6-7 anterior cervical discectomy and fusion.ConclusionThe importance of physical examination competency and routine thoroughness cannot be overstated. Swift identification of pathologic signs by the treating chiropractor resulted in timely imaging and surgical intervention.     

Use of fibrinolytics for the management of massive pulmonary embolism in a patient with a history of subdural hemorrhage

IntroductionManagement of massive pulmonary embolism in patients with hemodynamic instability encompasses the use of fibrinolytics. Use of fibrinolytic therapy is currently recommended in this patient population by ACCP, AHA, and EHA if treatment benefit outweighs the risk of bleeding. There is currently no data challenging or exploring the risk of using fibrinolytic therapy for the management of massive PE in patients with a history of intracranial hemorrhage.Case presentationA 38-year old female with suspected massive pulmonary embolism was admitted with a chief complaint of chest pain and right leg pain. Shortly after a confirmatory CT of bilateral PE, the patient had multiple cardiac arrests along with severe shock that led to a general agreement among the team to proceed with IV and then catheter-directed TPA as well as thrombectomy. Following fibrinolytic therapy, the patient was started on a heparin drip along with epinephrine for hemodynamic support. CT chest angiography showed the resolution of emboli following treatment with the fibrinolytic agent. CT of the head taken approximately 24 h post tPA initiation was used to rule out intracranial hemorrhage or other complications resulting from tPA administration.ConclusionIn patients with a history of intracranial hemorrhage, catheter guided fibrinolytic and thrombectomy may be effective treatment options of massive pulmonary embolism.     

Simultaneous bilateral acromial base fractures after staged reverse total shoulder arthroplasty: A case report

BACKGROUNDAcromial and scapular spine fractures after reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (RTSA) are a well-known complication that may negatively impact the effects of long-term outcomes. However, to the best of our knowledge, there has been no report of simultaneous bilateral fractures of the acromion or scapular spine that occurred following staged RTSA.CASE SUMMARYA 79-year-old right-handed male visited our outpatient clinic with a chief complaint of pain and limited motion of both shoulder joints for a one-year duration. Based on plain radiographs and magnetic resonance images, the preoperative diagnosis was bilateral cuff tear arthropathy with failed rotator cuff repair. This patient was treated with staged bilateral RTSA at a two-month interval. At 5 and 3 mo after right and left side surgery, the patient returned to the outpatient clinic with severe pain and limited motion of both shoulder joints for 2 wk without a traumatic event. A computed tomography scan revealed non-displaced acromial base fractures of both shoulders. Considering bilateral involvement, fracture location, and patient’s demand, open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) using plate for bilateral acromial base fractures were performed. At 2 years after ORIF, the fracture was completely healed, and the patient was satisfied with shoulder status.CONCLUSIONThis report describes an extremely rare case of simultaneous bilateral acromial base fractures after staged RTSA managed successfully by ORIF with a pre-contoured plate designed for distal clavicle fractures. Although acromial fracture after RTSA can be treated conservatively, simultaneous bilateral fractures may warrant surgical intervention as a means of addressing difficulties in activities of daily living.