Chest
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Mechanical insufflation-exsufflation (MI-E) uses positive and negative pressures to assist weak cough and to help clear airway secretions. Laryngeal visualization during MI-E has revealed that inappropriate upper airway responses can impede its efficacy. However, the dynamics of pressure transmission in the upper airways during MI-E are unclear, as are the relationships among anatomic structure, pressure, and airflow. ⋯ We found that Ruaw and Rtl can be calculated feasibly during MI-E. The findings indicate different transmission dynamics for positive and negative pressures and that resistances are influenced by participant effort. The findings support using lower insufflation pressures and higher negative pressures in clinical practice.
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A 34-year-old man who did not use tobacco complained of hemoptysis with a small volume, severe dry cough, and low-grade fever for 5 months. He denied dyspnea, chest pain, night sweats, or weight loss. Chest CT scanning showed nodules with a cavity in the lower left lung. ⋯ He was prone to spontaneous bruising since childhood with a family history of spontaneous cerebral aneurysm. At 21 years of age, the patient underwent an appendectomy because of a suspected perforation. Also, he experienced cerebral hemorrhage 3 years earlier.
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A 23-year-old man presented to the ED with a history of respiratory distress, cough, and fever for 10 days. He was evaluated in the ED, where he received a diagnosis of pulmonary edema, secondary to mitral regurgitation with mitral valve prolapse syndrome. He was treated with antibiotics and diuretics and discharged to home. ⋯ The patient was admitted to the medical ICU. He had no history of arthralgia, myalgia, skin rash, or other signs of autoimmune disease. He denied any history of smoking, work-related or occupational exposures, drug intake, or recent travel.
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A 75-year-old patient with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) and hypertension was admitted to the hospital with abdominal pain secondary to a choledochal cyst resulting in biliary dilation. His hospital course was complicated by pneumonia, encephalopathy, and lower gastrointestinal bleeding (LGIB) that initially did not lead to hemodynamic compromise. To further evaluate the LGIB, a colonoscopy was performed, during which he experienced significant hypotension after being placed in the supine position and given anesthesia. The hypotension required treatment with vasoactive medications, termination of the colonoscopy, and transfer to the medical ICU for invasive hemodynamic monitoring and treatment.