The American journal of emergency medicine
-
To characterize the clinical presentation and hospital course of patients with reported synthetic cannabinoid (SC) exposure requiring Intensive Care Unit (ICU) admission. ⋯ Patients admitted to ICU after SC exposure exhibit significant organ dysfunction, particularly neurologic and respiratory. Prognosis is good with supportive care.
-
Pleural trichomonosis is clinically rare, and very few cases of trichomonal empyema have been reported so far. A rare case of an 81-year-old woman with pyopeumothorax presenting with recurrent fever and macroscopic pyuria was present. ⋯ Treatment with imipenem/cilastatin and metronidazole successfully eliminated the pathogens and led to relief of clinical symptoms. In the context of a review of the relevant literature, the clinical application of molecular methods in the diagnosis of pleural trichomonosis is underlined.
-
Blood gas analyzers can be alternatives to laboratory autoanalyzers for obtaining test results in just a few minutes. We aimed to find out whether the results from blood gas analyzers are reliable when compared to results of core laboratory autoanalyzers. ⋯ The two types of measurements showed a moderate correlation for sodium and potassium levels and a strong correlation for glucose, hemoglobin, and hematocrit levels, but none of the levels had acceptable agreement limits. Clinicians should be aware of the limitations of blood gas analyzer results.
-
Ultrasound-guided nerve blocks (UGNBs) allow emergency physicians an opportunity to provide optimal pain management for acute traumatic conditions. Over the past decade, a growing body of literature has detailed the novel ways clinicians have incorporated UGNBs for analgesia and an alternative to procedural sedation. ⋯ Even with the presumed level of increased safety, we recommend that any clinician who performs ultrasound-guided nerve blocks be aware of complications that could arise during and after the procedure. Peripheral nerve injury (PNI) post block, local anesthetic systemic toxicity (LAST) and the role of single peripheral nerve blocks in patients with a risk for compartment syndrome are common safety issues discussed when performing ultrasound-guided nerve blocks.