Pediatric emergency care
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Pediatric emergency care · Aug 2014
Case ReportsIncidental mucocele of the appendix in a 15-year-old girl.
Mucocele of the appendix is an exceedingly uncommon pathology in the pediatric population that may present with abdominal pain or represent an incidental finding after routine abdominal imaging. Etiologies may be inflammatory or neoplastic, but all share the commonality of chronic appendiceal obstruction. Early diagnosis is critical for positive long-term outcomes because the operative management will differ from that of a dilated appendix secondary to acute appendicitis.
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Pediatric emergency care · Aug 2014
Case ReportsUnusual sequela from a pencil stab wound reveals a retained graphite foreign body.
Penetrating pencil-tip injuries are common among children and usually resolve without long-term sequelae. However, failure to detect and remove embedded pencil fragments can result in increased morbidity or misdiagnoses of other, more serious, conditions. ⋯ Following suture removal, the patient returned to the emergency department (with bright-purple drainage from the wound site). Radiographic evaluation led to the discovery of an embedded foreign body requiring surgical removal.
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Pediatric emergency care · Aug 2014
J-Splint Use for Temporizing Management of Pediatric Femur Fractures: A Review of 18 Cases.
Pediatric femoral fractures are common injuries encountered in the field and in emergency departments. Currently described temporizing management strategies include skeletal traction, skin traction, traction splinting, and posterior splinting, all of which are suboptimal in some instances. J-splinting femur fractures may be advantageous in temporizing management of pediatric femur fractures. The objective of this study was to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of J-splint use for temporizing management of pediatric femur fractures. ⋯ The J-splint is a reliable, simple, and rapidly applied splint that prevents many of the complications and downfalls of other described temporizing measures and helps to provide excellent pain management in the acute setting.
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Pediatric emergency care · Aug 2014
Case ReportsTumor lysis syndrome: risk factors, diagnosis, and management.
Tumor lysis syndrome (TLS) is a potentially fatal complication of induction therapy for several types of malignancies. Electrolyte derangements and even downstream complications may also occur prior to the initial presentation to a medical provider, before an oncologic diagnosis has been established. ⋯ Careful evaluation of serum electrolytes, uric acid, and renal function must occur. Patients at risk for TLS and those who already exhibit laboratory or clinical evidence of TLS require close monitoring, aggressive hydration, and appropriate medical treatment.
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Pediatric emergency care · Aug 2014
Epidemiology of Hospital-Based Emergency Department Visits Due to Sports Injuries.
Sports-related injuries in adolescents incur a significant amount of hospital resources. Sports-related injuries are not an uncommon cause of ED visit; however, national estimates of such injuries in teenagers are unknown. ⋯ Sports injuries account for a substantial number of 2008 teenage ED visits in the United States. Patient- and hospital-level characteristics were analyzed and highlighted.