Febrile abdominal pain revealing Horton's disease

Background

Horton's disease is a systemic inflammatory vasculitis, usually found in persons over 50 years old. It affects medium and large-sized arteries stemming from the external carotid, especially the superficial temporal arteries. It can affect extracranial large vessels but only rarely the aorta. Diagnosis of aortitis is difficult and its incidence is probably underestimated.

Bedside Ultrasound Diagnosis of Acute Embolic Femoral Artery Occlusion

Background

Acute limb ischemia is both a limb-threatening and life-threatening disease process. Nontraumatic acute peripheral arterial occlusion is most commonly caused by a thrombosis or an embolism.

Objectives

There is limited evidence on the use of bedside ultrasound for the detection of acute limb ischemia, but duplex ultrasonography is standard in the diagnosis and operative planning in chronic limb ischemia. Emergency physicians may use bedside ultrasound in the evaluation of patients with symptoms and signs suggestive of this disease entity.

Case Report

A 64-year-old man with a past medical history of hypertension and an ischemic stroke presented to the Emergency Department with <2 h of severe upper left leg pain that radiated down to his foot. A bedside ultrasound of the left lower extremity was emergently performed. On B-mode ultrasound evaluation, echogenic material was visualized in the left common femoral artery, the artery was noncompressible, and there was an absence of Doppler flow signal. He was then directly taken to the operating room for an emergent limb-saving procedure.

Conclusion

A focused examination of the aorta, iliac vessels, and femoral artery bifurcation with bedside ultrasonography may help to localize peripheral arterial occlusions and can assist the emergency physician in seeking timely surgical consultation and management.     

A 32-Year-Old Man with Delayed Onset Post-Traumatic Proptosis and Diplopia

Background

Proptosis and motility deficits are common findings in the setting of craniofacial trauma, but can indicate the presence of vision and even life-threatening pathology.

Objective

Our aim was to identify presentations consistent with traumatic carotid cavernous fistula (CCF) and to review the appropriate initial work-up and management.

Case Report

A 32-year-old man came to our emergency department with proptosis, ocular motility deficits, and decreased vision 1 month after a restrained motor vehicle accident. An orbital bruit was auscultated and four-vessel angiography revealed a CCF. Covered stents and an embolic agent were used to abolish the arteriovenous communication and the patient rapidly returned to his premorbid baseline.

Conclusions

CCF is a relatively rare but important consequence of craniofacial trauma that must be recognized promptly in order to minimize the likelihood of serious sequelae. It should be suspected in patients with antecedent trauma presenting with exophthalmos, arterialized conjunctival vessels, and orbital bruit.     

Massive hemothorax after blunt transverse cervical artery injury

Background

Blunt injuries to the thyrocervical trunk or its branches are rare because these vessels are well protected and located deep in the neck. To the best of our knowledge, we describe the first case of a massive hemothorax after blunt injury to the transverse cervical artery.

Case Report

A 42-year-old man was brought to our Emergency Department after he fell from a height of 10 meters. On work-up, a massive left hemothorax with extravasation from the left transverse cervical artery and pelvic fractures were detected. Endovascular embolization was successfully performed. There was no evidence of direct injury to the neck, lung laceration, or significant vascular injury that might have caused the massive hemothorax. A shearing mechanism associated with sudden deceleration caused by the 10-meter fall might have caused the transverse cervical artery injury in our patient.

Conclusion

Consideration of injury to the thyrocervical trunk or its branches by the emergency physician will result in more frequent consideration and more timely diagnosis when there is no chest injury and massive hemothorax.     

A Pain in the Neck: Non-traumatic Adult Retropharyngeal Abscess

Background

We present the case of a 47-year-old man who presented to the Emergency Department (ED) with complaint of left-sided neck pain. He was thought to have a musculoskeletal sprain on his initial visit. However, he returned the following evening with worsening symptoms. On further investigation, he was found to have a non-traumatic retropharyngeal abscess (RPA), a rare infection in the adult patient population.

Objectives

This infection has been studied primarily in the pediatric population, and extrapolation of their studies demonstrates the importance of airway stabilization, antibiotic use targeting polymicrobial organisms, and conservative medical management vs. surgical drainage. We aim to summarize this case and review the literature on retropharyngeal abscess.

Case Report

This patient presented to the ED with complaints of left-sided neck pain. There was no history of trauma or injury to the affected area. He was evaluated and discharged but returned with a deteriorating clinical picture. On further evaluation, he was found to have a non-traumatic RPA. He was admitted to the Otolaryngology service and managed conservatively with intravenous (IV) antibiotics. His condition resolved and he was subsequently discharged from the hospital.

Conclusions

The majority of data on diagnosis and treatment of adult RPA have come from the pediatric population. However, the same essential treatment principles apply: airway stabilization, resuscitation, initiation of IV antibiotics, and consultation with an otolaryngology specialist.     

Focused Cardiac Ultrasound Diagnosis of Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm: Two Cases

Background

Thoracic aortic aneurysms (TAAs) are less prevalent than abdominal aortic aneurysms. Symptomatic TAAs need to be identified quickly by the emergency physician (EP) since mortality rates increase dramatically once complications such as rupture or dissection occur. Compared with validated EP-performed ultrasound of the abdominal aorta, EP-performed focused cardiac ultrasound that includes evaluation of the thoracic aorta is relatively unreported.

Objective

Two cases illustrate EP-performed focused cardiac ultrasound and evaluation of the thoracic aorta for aneurysmal dilation.

Case Reports

(1) A 60-year-old man presented to the emergency department (ED) after a blunt traumatic injury to his back while at work. During the focused cardiac ultrasound examination, the aortic outflow tract distal to the aortic valve appeared enlarged and the aortic root measured 5.49 cm. (2) An 82-year-old man with hypertension presented to the ED with 1 month of chest pain radiating to the back. The focused cardiac ultrasound examination demonstrated enlargement of the descending thoracic aorta at 4.82 cm.

Conclusion

EPs performing focused cardiac ultrasound can visualize regions of the thoracic aorta that may reveal an aneurysm, particularly in the parasternal long axis view.     

Staphylococcal thoracic aortitis complicated by aortic dissection

BACKGROUND:

The diagnosis of aortitis is often delayed as symptoms are largely non-specific. We report a case of Staphylococcal thoracic aortitis in a 73-year-old Chinese woman complicated by aortic dissection.

METHODS:

The patient presented with pyrexia of unknown origin, and a contrast enhanced computed tomography aortogram revealed a large thrombus at the anterior aspect of the ascending aorta with two large ulcerations as a result of a chronic type A aortic dissection. A hemiarch replacement with a 28 mm Gleweave Vascutek graft was performed with resuspension of aortic valve commisures. Aortic thrombus cultures were positive for coagulase negative Staphylococcus aureaus, and histology showed chronic dissection of the aorta.

RESULTS:

The patient was treated with intravenous cefazolin for a 6-week duration and made good progress.

CONCLUSIONS:

This case highlights Staphylococcal infective aortitis complicated by dissection presenting as fever of unknown origin. Timely diagnosis is essential as progression to catastrophic rupture may occur.KEY WORDS: Aneurysm, Aortic diseases, Endovascular stent, Infected/microbiology, Staphalococcus aureus     

Emergency Cesarean Section Due to Acute Aortic Dissection Type A (Debakey I) without Marfan Syndrome: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Background

Acute aortic dissection during pregnancy is an uncommon but important emergency due to its lethal risk to both mother and child. The dissection usually involves the ascending aorta or the aortic arch. Although additional affection of the descending aorta up to bifurcation is possible, further increasing the risk of organ malperfusion, full-length aortic dissection (DeBakey I) is known to be very rare. Dissection during pregnancy has been reported predominantly in combination with Marfan syndrome. Acute aortic dissection Stanford type A (AADA) DeBakey I during pregnancy without signs of Marfan syndrome as a warning signal is very uncommon in the current literature.

Objectives

The etiology, diagnosis, differential diagnosis, and management of this rare disease are discussed in relation to the current literature.

Case Report

We report the case of an athletic 34-year-old woman in the third trimester of pregnancy, without history of previous diseases, who presented to our Emergency Department after collapsing. In the resuscitation department, an emergency cesarean section was performed due to the start of circulation failure in the mother. Computed tomography scan revealed a severe aortic dissection starting from 1 cm distal the aortic valve over the full length up to the iliac arteries, involving the brachiocephalic and carotid arteries up to the level of the larynx. Emergency replacement of the ascending aorta and the aortic arch was performed. Both the mother and baby survived and were doing well 1 year postoperatively.

Conclusion

This alarming result of AADA (DeBakey I) in late pregnancy without obvious warnings such as Marfan syndrome illustrates the importance of performing early imaging in similar cases.     

Traumatic Pseudoaneurysm and Arteriovenous Fistula Detected by Bedside Ultrasound

Background

The case of late presentation of a pseudoaneurysm and an arteriovenous fistula (AVF) of the common femoral artery and vein secondary to penetrating trauma is reported. Traumatic AVF and pseudoaneurysm may be present within a variety of clinical conditions, which sometimes makes it difficult to detect them clinically. Undiagnosed AVF can lead to clinical manifestations mostly secondary to increased output generated by the fistula.

Case Report

A 31-year-old man presented to the Emergency Department (ED) for wound care follow-up. A week before, he had suffered a stab wound to the medial thigh and the primary suture was performed in our ED. During his first visit to our ED, the vascular examination revealed palpable dorsalis pedis and tibialis posterior pulses. The formal Doppler ultrasound was negative. During his second presentation, however, the physical examination was remarkable for a palpable thrill and continuous bruit in the left mid-thigh region. Also, an ultrasound with a 7.5-MHz linear probe demonstrated a pseudoaneurysm and an AVF between the femoral artery and vein.

Conclusion

The mechanism of the injury, wound location and tract, and physical findings after a penetrating thigh trauma can help to predict femoral artery injury. Also, occult injuries to the medial thigh after penetrating trauma may be easily overlooked on the physical examination. Furthermore, bedside ultrasound performed by an emergency physician may be helpful in diagnosing occult vascular injuries.     

Intratympanic Hemorrhage and Concussion in a Football Offensive Lineman

Background

A 26-year-old arena football lineman participating in a “bull in the ring” blocking and tackling drill was blindsided by an opposing teammate. He sustained a direct helmet-to-helmet blow to the right temporal area.

Objectives

This case describes a unique mechanism of ear barotrauma (intratympanic hemorrhage) and concussion caused by helmet-to-helmet contact in American football.

Case Report

Initial sideline evaluation revealed mild headache, confusion, dizziness, photophobia, and tinnitus, all consistent with a concussion diagnosis. Physical examination revealed a large postauricular contusion over the right mastoid process and diffuse right intratympanic hemorrhage on examination. No hemotympanum or effusion of the middle ear was noted. Abnormalities were seen on vestibular testing and visual accommodation and convergence testing. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging were performed with attention to the temporal bones and were normal. Neuropsychological testing was abnormal compared to baseline. Audiology testing was within normal limits. Diagnosis was intratympanic hemorrhage secondary to barotrauma caused by helmet-to-helmet contact, with mastoid contusion and season-ending concussion.

Conclusions

The tympanic membrane (TM) is a highly vascular membrane that is very sensitive to variations of atmospheric pressure. Overpressure can enter the external auditory canal, stretching and displacing the TM medially and causing injury to the tympanic membrane secondary to barotrauma. This concussed football player was never able to return to play due to his postconcussive symptoms. He had no residual hearing or ear problems.     

Common Iliac Artery Tortuosity Simulating Aortic Dissection on Focused Abdominal Ultrasound in the Emergency Department

Background

Bedside ultrasonography performed by the Emergency Physician is a safe procedure for evaluating patients with trauma, hypotension, chest or abdominal pain, and dyspnea of unknown origin.

Objectives

To present a case with apparent concordance between the patient's history, symptoms, signs, and ultrasound imaging, that lead to diagnostic error.

Case Report

A 74-year-old man was admitted to the hospital due to epigastric pain, radiating to the back. He reported previous detection of a small dilatation in the ascending aorta. On physical examination, the heart rate was 120 beats/min and the blood pressure was 90/60 mm Hg. These facts suggested the possibility of an aortic dissection; therefore, a bedside emergency ultrasound examination was performed. The first part of the examination focused on the ascending aorta, but the results were not significant. Then, an abdominal evaluation was performed that revealed an ovular and pulsatile anechoic mass in the infrarenal tract, with an echoic wall and an endoluminal flap. A computed tomography scan of the aorta was ordered, and it showed a regular aorta in the entire tract, with an abnormal tortuosity of iliac arteries as the basis of the false-positive ultrasound.

Conclusions

The use of ultrasound in emergency settings has improved the clinical evaluation of critical patients by Emergency Physicians, but the possibility of a false-positive diagnostic error always should be considered.     

Orbital Compressed Air and Petroleum Injury Mimicking Necrotizing Fasciitis

Background

Orbital injury secondary to petroleum-based products is rare. We report the first case, to our knowledge, of a combined compressed air and chemical orbital injury, which mimicked necrotizing fasciitis.

Case Report

A 58-year-old man was repairing his motorcycle engine when a piston inadvertently fired, discharging compressed air and petroleum-based carburetor cleaner into his left eye. He developed surgical emphysema, skin necrosis, and a chemical cellulitis, causing an orbital compartment syndrome. He was treated initially with antibiotics and subsequently with intravenous steroid and orbital decompression surgery. There was almost complete recovery by 4 weeks postsurgery.

Why should an emergency physician be aware of this?

Petroleum-based products can cause severe skin irritation and necrosis. Compressed air injury can cause surgical emphysema. When these two mechanisms of injury are combined, the resulting orbitopathy and skin necrosis can mimic necrotizing fasciitis and cause diagnostic confusion. A favorable outcome is achievable with aggressive timely management.     

Case Report of Electronic Cigarettes Possibly Associated with Eosinophilic Pneumonitis in a Previously Healthy Active-duty Sailor

Background

Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) are a technology that has been touted as a safe and effective alternative to traditional cigarettes. There is, however, a paucity of literature showing the adverse outcomes of e-cigarettes and a correlation with acute eosinophilic pneumonia (AEP).

Objective

To present a possible association between e-cigarettes and AEP.

Case Report

A 20-year-old previously healthy man was found to develop AEP after smoking an e-cigarette. He was treated with antibiotics and steroids and his symptoms improved.

Conclusion

Though an alternative to traditional cigarettes, e-cigarettes can have unpredictable and potentially serious adverse effects. More research needs to be conducted to determine their safety. If seeing a patient in the ED with pulmonary symptoms after use of e-cigarettes, AEP should be considered in the differential.     

Case Report: Delayed Subclavian Vein Injury Secondary to Clavicular Malunion

Background

Fractures of the clavicle are extremely common, representing 2.6–12% of all fractures and 35–44% of all shoulder girdle injuries; 69–82% of these fractures occur in the middle third of the clavicle. Vascular injuries relating to clavicle fracture are usually due to extreme force applied to the clavicle in an acute setting. No other reports of delayed subclavian vein laceration were found on literature search.

Objectives

We present this case to increase awareness among emergency physicians of the potential delayed presentation of this rare condition.

Case Report

A 21-year-old man presented to the Emergency Department with acute swelling of the base of the neck after carrying a heavy load on his left shoulder the night before. He had been recovering from a clavicle fracture for 2 months. Malunion of his left midshaft clavicle fracture led to subclavian vein injury and formation of a large hematoma secondary to reinjury that occurred at work the night before presentation. Computed tomography revealed a 9-cm hematoma at the fracture site. The patient was found to have a subclavian vein injury without evidence of arterial injury or nervous system involvement. The patient was admitted for observation and subsequently discharged without need for surgical intervention.

Conclusion

Subclavian vein laceration is a rare complication of clavicle fracture. Patient education at discharge after conservative management is important due to the risk of vascular complications from malunion and reinjury.     

Portal Venous Gas Emboli after Accidental Ingestion of Concentrated Hydrogen Peroxide

Background

Hydrogen peroxide is a common household product. It is clear and odorless making it easy to confuse with water, especially when improperly stored. Concentrated formulations are also available for consumer purchase.

Objective

We report a case of hydrogen peroxide ingestion in a child and discuss the potential consequences and treatment of such an exposure.

Case Report

A 12-year-old boy accidentally ingested a sip of concentrated hydrogen peroxide. He rapidly developed hematemesis and presented to the Emergency Department. His initial work-up was unremarkable, and his symptoms resolved quickly. However, diffuse gas emboli were found within the portal system on abdominal computed tomography. The child was treated with hyperbaric oxygen therapy and later found to have gastric irritation as well as an ulcer on endoscopy. He recovered fully from the incident.

Conclusions

We present this case to increase awareness of the dangers of hydrogen peroxide ingestion in children. Fortunately, the child in this case recovered fully, but emergency physicians should be aware of the potential consequences and therapeutic options.     

The impact of poison control centers on poisoning-related visits to EDs--United States, 2003

Purpose

This study analyzes the association between center usage rates and the rates of nonadmitted visits to emergency departments (EDs) for poisoning.

Basic Procedures

With a log-normal regression model, we analyzed the association between the number of human exposure calls per hospitalized poisoning patient and the number of nonhospitalized ED visits. The data were from 14 states at county level.

Main Findings

A 1% higher poison control center (PCC) human exposure call rate for unintentional poisoning is associated, but not necessarily causally, with a 0.18% lower ED visit rate (P < .0001). If the observed association is causative, 15.5 PCC human poison exposure calls prevent one nonadmitted ED visit, yielding a $205 net cost saving and a benefit-cost ratio of 1.4. The savings ignore any reduction in hospital admissions.

Principal Conclusions

Increased PCC exposure calls appear to be associated with reduced ED use for unintentional poisoning and appear to reduce net medical spending.     

Variations in atherosclerosis and remodeling patterns in aorta and carotids

Background

Atherosclerosis is a progressive disease that causes vascular remodeling that can be positive or negative. The evolution of arterial wall thickening and changes in lumen size under current "standard of care" in different arterial beds is unclear. The purpose of this study was to examine arterial remodeling and progression/regression of atherosclerosis in aorta and carotid arteries of individuals at risk for atherosclerosis normalized over a 1-year period.

Methods

In this study, 28 patients underwent at least 2 black-blood in vivo cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) scans of aorta and carotids over a one-year period (Mean 17.8 ± 7.5 months). Clinical risk profiles for atherosclerosis and medications were documented and patients were followed by their referring physicians under current "standard of care" guidelines. Carotid and aortic wall lumen areas were matched across the time-points from cross-sectional images.

Results

The wall area increased by 8.67%, 10.64%, and 13.24% per year (carotid artery, thoracic aorta and abdominal aorta respectively, p < 0.001). The lumen area of the abdominal aorta increased by 4.97% per year (p = 0.002), but the carotid artery and thoracic aorta lumen areas did not change significantly. The use of statin therapy did not change the rate of increase of wall area of carotid artery, thoracic and abdominal aorta, but decreased the rate of change of lumen area of carotid artery (-3.08 ± 11.34 vs. 0.19 ± 12.91 p < 0.05).

Conclusions

Results of this study of multiple vascular beds indicated that different vascular locations exhibited varying progression of atherosclerosis and remodeling as monitored by CMR.     

A Case of Delayed Presentation of Thigh Compartment Syndrome

Background

Thigh compartment syndrome is a rare and devastating process. It generally occurs within hours to days of a traumatic event, although cases have been reported nearly 2 weeks after the initial event.

Objectives

To evaluate the literature describing the timing between inciting event and presentation of thigh compartment syndromes, with a focus on delayed presentations of this rare condition. To describe the unique properties of thigh compartments, and finally, to review the anatomy and techniques needed to measure the compartment pressures of the thigh.

Case Report

A case of a 54-year-old man is presented. He sustained trauma to his thigh 17 days prior to presenting to our ED with severe, sudden-onset pain in his right thigh. Compartment pressures were measured and confirmed the diagnosis of compartment syndrome caused by two large intramuscular hematomas. No other contributing events were identified.

Conclusions

Compartment syndrome in the thigh should be considered in patients with a concerning examination and a history of recent trauma. This particular case represents the longest reported time between injury and development of a thigh compartment syndrome.     

Unscheduled Return Visits With and Without Admission Post Emergency Department Discharge

Background

Monitoring unscheduled return visits to the Emergency Department (ED) is useful to identify medical errors.

Objective

To investigate the differences between unscheduled return visit admissions (URVA) and unscheduled return visit no admissions (URVNA) after ED discharge.

Methods

From January 1, 2008 to March 31, 2008, URVA and URVNA patients who returned within 3 days after ED discharge were enrolled in the study. We compared the clinical characteristics, underlying diseases, ED crowding indicators, staff experience at the patient's first visit, and several other risk factors. We used multivariate logistic regression to evaluate differences between the two groups and to identify predictors of admission from unscheduled return visits.

Results

The unscheduled return visit rate was 3.1%. Of the 413 patients included, 147 patients (36%) were admitted, and had a mortality rate of 4.1%. The most common reason for the return visit was an illness-based factor (47.9%). Compared to URVNA patients, unscheduled return visit admissions had higher prevalence rates for old age, non-ambulatory status, high-grade triage, and underlying diseases (e.g., malignancy, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, coronary artery disease, heart failure, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease). The independent predictors for URVA were: age ≥ 65 years (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 2.2, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.4–3.5); high-grade triage (adjusted OR 2.1, 95% CI 1.3–3.2); and doctor-based factors (adjusted OR 3.5, 95% CI 2.0–6.1). More advanced staff experience (p = 0.490) and ED crowding were not significant predictors (p = 0.498 for whole-day number of patients, p = 0.095 for whole-shift number of patients).

Conclusion

Old age, high-grade triage, and doctor-based factors were found to be significant predictors for URVA, whereas advanced staff experience and ED crowding were not.     

Commotio Cordis,Therapeutic Hypothermia,and Evacuation from a United States Military Base in Iraq

Background

Therapeutic hypothermia (TH) has been demonstrated to improve clinical outcomes after out-of-hospital ventricular fibrillation (VF) cardiac arrest. It remains unclear if TH can be safely and effectively used in the setting of traumatic arrest. Furthermore, the use of TH methods in the pre-hospital and transport environments remain poorly established and a domain of active investigation.

Objectives

To describe a case of successful TH utilization after blunt trauma with commotio cordis and pulmonary contusion, and to describe the continuation of TH during international fixed-wing aeromedical transport.

Case Report

A 33-year-old active duty soldier suffered blunt chest trauma and immediate VF arrest. He was successfully resuscitated with cardiopulmonary resuscitation and defibrillation attempts. Given his ensuing comatose post-arrest state, he was therapeutically cooled and subsequently evacuated from Iraq to Germany, with cooling maintenance established in flight without the availability of training or commercial cooling equipment. The patient exhibited an eventual excellent neurologic recovery. To utilize TH for this patient, military physicians with limited local resources employed a telemedical approach to obtain a hypothermia protocol to develop a successful treatment plan.

Conclusions

The patient's successful resuscitation suggests that care should not be withheld for blunt trauma patients without vital signs in the field if VF is present, until the differential diagnosis of commotio cordis has been considered.