The American journal of emergency medicine
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Observational Study
Gonorrhea and chlamydia in the emergency department: Continued need for more focused treatment for men, women and pregnant women.
Delay in current nucleic acid amplification testing for Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Chlamydia trachomatis has led to recommendations for presumptive treatment in patients with concern for infection and unreliable follow-up. In the urban setting, it is assumed that many patients have unreliable follow-up, therefore presumptive therapy is thought to be used frequently. We sought to measure the frequency of disease and accuracy of presumptive treatment for these infections. ⋯ Inaccuracy of presumptive treatment was common for these sexually transmitted infections. There is an opportunity to improve diagnostic accuracy for treatment.
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Letter Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study
Comparison of PaO2 and PaCO2 in arterial blood gas analysis between EcoLite™ and conventional medium concentration face mask.
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Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is uncommon in the acute phase of acute ischemic stroke (AIS) and occurs in approximately 1% of the population. Here, we report a paradoxical case of AMI during tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) infusion for AIS. We review and analyze the previously reported cases. ⋯ Currently, there is no consensus regarding this specific scenario. We propose that the therapeutic benefit and the potential risk of hemorrhagic complications should be further investigated and individualized. In patients who receive thrombolytic therapy for AIS and who then develop post-thrombolytic AMI, we suggest that the maximum treatment for the subsequent AMI be instituted promptly to avoid short-term mortality.
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Case Reports
Rare case of an odontogenic cutaneous sinus tract presenting as a growing cheek mass in the emergency department.
An odontogenic cutaneous sinus tract (OCST) is a rare extraoral sinus tract related to a chronic draining dental infection, typically apical periodontitis. OCST usually presents as an erythematous and non-tender nodule and often requires endodontic treatment for resolution of the sinus tract. If there is disruption of the mandibular cortex, it may be difficult to differentiate an OCST from a non-odontogenic malignant mass in patients without dental symptoms. This report describes a rare case of OCST presenting as a left cheek mass in a 21-year-old man which was initially diagnosed in the emergency department.
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Case Reports
Airway and circulatory collapse due to retropharyngeal hematoma after blunt vertebral artery injury.
Retropharyngeal hematoma following blunt cervical spine injury is a known cause of airway obstruction, but it is not known to cause hemorrhagic shock. We report the case of a massive retropharyngeal hematoma caused by a blunt vertebral artery transection leading simultaneously to airway obstruction and hemorrhagic shock. An 83-year-old woman was injured in a motorcycle accident. ⋯ Blunt vertebral artery transection can cause massive retropharyngeal hematoma, which can rapidly expand and lead to hemorrhagic shock in addition to airway obstruction. In cases of massive retropharyngeal hematoma with hemorrhagic shock following blunt cervical spine injury, blunt vertebral artery transection should be suspected. If blunt vertebral artery transection is detected and hemorrhagic shock is persistent, endovascular embolization should be performed immediately in addition to emergency intubation.