Pediatric emergency care
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Pediatric emergency care · May 2011
Case ReportsTension chylothorax complicating acute malignant airway obstruction.
Acute upper airway obstruction represents one of the most challenging emergencies in pediatric practice. In particular, a tension chylothorax complicating a malignant airway obstruction is a rare and life-threatening complication. ⋯ To our knowledge, the extension of a cervical mass to the supraclavear region resulting in a compressive chylothorax represents an exceptional event in pediatrics. Early recognition and prompt treatment resulted to be essential to relieve the compression and to avoid end-stage hemodynamic and respiratory function derangement.
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Pediatric emergency care · May 2011
Comparative StudyPediatric minor injury outcomes: an initial report.
The objectives were (1) to present a preliminary evaluation of outcomes after pediatric emergency department (PED) minor injury care (not previously described) and (2) to test the feasibility of study methods and of a HRQOL tool in this acute care setting. ⋯ We found significant morbidity after PED treatment of minor injury. The study methods and PedsQL patient and proxy forms were feasible for emergency department use. The PedsQL had some initial indications of construct validity for this population.
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Pediatric emergency care · May 2011
Case ReportsCranial impalement in a child driving an all-terrain vehicle.
All-terrain vehicle (ATV) injury is a serious problem in children and adolescents. We report an unusual case of a child with cranial impalement in a rollover ATV crash. ⋯ All-terrain vehicle injury is an increasing problem in children. This case demonstrates that serious injury can occur even while wearing a helmet. The case demonstrates the dangers associated with children driving or riding ATVs.
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Pediatric emergency care · May 2011
Case ReportsDiagnosis of an intraventricular hemorrhage by a pediatric emergency medicine attending using point-of-care ultrasound: a case report.
For the past 2 decades, point-of-care ultrasound (POCU) has been increasingly performed in adult emergency medicine for a variety of indications. However, the incorporation of POCU into pediatric emergency medicine has been much slower. Cranial ultrasound is an integral part in neonatology and is routinely used to diagnose intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH). ⋯ We report a case of a 16-day-old male that presented to the pediatric ED with fussiness and found to be anemic. An IVH was diagnosed for the first time using POCU by a pediatric ED attending. Sonographic characteristics of an IVH may be helpful in the prompt diagnosis of this condition, thereby reducing morbidity and mortality and improving the final outcome.
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Sudden cardiac death is rare in children and adolescents but accounts for 19% to 30% of sudden deaths until 21 years of age. Fatal ventricular arrhythmias are usual common pathways in such tragic events, and underlying etiologies include cardiac ion channelopathies in majority of cases. We present a case of aborted sudden cardiac death in field, resuscitated successfully, and a clinical event in the pediatric emergency department that led to the diagnosis of the underlying rare condition.