The American journal of emergency medicine
-
Bradykinin-mediated angioedema (AE) is characterized by periodic subcutaneous or submucosal swelling, with the absence of urticaria and itching. It affects the face and extremities. Attacks of abdominal pain and obstruction of the upper airways are the hallmarks of disease severity. The aim of this study was to determine the factors prompting patients to turn up at the hospital emergency department (ED) in the event of an attack. ⋯ First attack of bradykinin AE and swelling of the larynx were significantly associated with visits to the ED.
-
Lemierre syndrome is a potentially life-threatening septic thrombophlebitis associated with a neck infection. We present a case of a 10-month-old female infant with Lemierre syndrome complicated by thrombotic strokes and purulent pericarditis. A healthy 10-month-old female infant presented to the pediatric emergency department of our tertiary care center complaining of 5 days of fever to 105°F and 1 day of neck stiffness and decreased oral intake. ⋯ She has recovered with minimal permanent sequelae. This is one of the youngest cases of Lemierre syndrome documented. To our knowledge, it is also the first case complicated by purulent pericarditis reported in the literature.
-
Case Reports
Pulseless electrical activity after myocardial infarction: not always a left ventricular free wall rupture.
Pulseless electrical activity (PEA) after acute myocardial infarction is classically caused by ventricular free wall rupture. We report the case of a 76-year-old woman who presented a cardiac arrest with PEA 5 days after an embolic acute myocardial infarction. Transthoracic echocardiogram showed a massive mitral regurgitation due to posterior papillary muscle rupture. This case demonstrates that other causes potentially treatable than cardiac tamponade must be sought in patients with PEA after myocardial infarction.