The American journal of emergency medicine
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Kikuchi disease is a self-limited disease characterized primarily by regional lymphadenopathy. Kikuchi disease was first described in 1972 as a lymphadenitis with specific histopathologic findings. ⋯ We also review the epidemiology, clinical presentation, and laboratory findings typically found in patients with Kikuchi disease. Inclusion of Kikuchi disease in the differential diagnosis for meningitis may help establish a diagnosis in patients also presenting with regional lymphadenopathy.
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Case Reports
An atypical misplacement of a temporary pacing catheter diagnosed and resolved by ultrasound.
Temporary transvenous pacing catheter placement is an important and critical procedure for emergency physicians. Ultrasound can be used to guide placement and to diagnosis correct or incorrect catheter placement. This case report discusses a patient with an acute ST elevation myocardial infarction leading to unstable arrhythmias requiring emergent transvenous cardiac pacing. ⋯ There was some difficulty placing the catheter, but successful capture with a left bundle-branch block pattern was obtained. However, ultrasonographic evaluation after placement showed the pacing wire curled in the Inferior Vena Cava (IVC) with the tip in the right ventricle. Ultrasound examination and guidance can prevent misplacement of the transvenous pacer catheter, which would not be apparent by electrocardiographic means.
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Spontaneous intramedullary hematoma (IMH) is a rare condition. The initial clinical manifestations are variable. Early symptoms of high thoracic IMH include thoracocervical pain that can be mistaken for emergent cardiopulmonary conditions such as myocardial infarction, pulmonary embolus, and aortic dissection. ⋯ Two hours after admission, correct diagnosis of IMH was based on the repeated neurologic examination and spine magnetic resonance imaging study. The patient underwent emergency surgical decompression and hematoma removal. We draw the misdiagnosis to the attention of the emergency physicians because early recognition of spontaneous IMH is very important for early surgical decompression to improve the prognosis.