J Emerg Med
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Observational Study
Hemodynamic Effects of Nitroglycerin Ointment in Emergency Department Patients.
Nitroglycerin ointment is commonly used in the treatment of emergency department (ED) patients with suspected acute heart failure (AHF) or suspected acute coronary syndrome (ACS), but its hemodynamic effects in this population are not well described. ⋯ Among ED patients who are treated with nitroglycerin ointment, MAP and TFC decrease over time. However, other hemodynamic parameters do not change after application of nitroglycerin ointment in these patients.
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Sialolithiasis with salivary gland obstruction can mimic more frequently occurring illnesses such as facial and dental infection and abscess. It is often difficult to discern the etiology of facial pain and swelling on physical examination alone, requiring advanced imaging in the emergency department. ⋯ We describe the case of a 37-year-old man who presented with 5 days of worsening unilateral facial pain and swelling. Use of bedside emergency ultrasound by an emergency physician (EP) led to an appropriate diagnosis of parotid duct sialolithiasis. Why Should an Emergency Physician Be Aware of This? Use of bedside emergency ultrasound performed by a trained EP successfully diagnosed symptomatic sialolithiasis of the parotid duct in the emergency department without the need for computed tomography. The utility of bedside emergency ultrasound in the evaluation of sialolithiasis and the outcomes of our case are discussed here.
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Endotracheal intubation is a common procedure in the emergency department, and new devices may improve intubation time, success, or view. ⋯ The KVVL was slightly faster than Macintosh DL in two of four studied airway scenarios, and had a higher success rate in the difficult cadaver airway scenario. Further study is required in the clinical setting.
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Case Reports
Retroperitoneal and Cutaneous Necrotizing Fasciitis Secondary to Necrotizing Pancreatitis.
Retroperitoneal abscesses are rare complications of intraabdominal infectious processes and can progress to necrotizing infections. Necrotizing pancreatitis occurs in 10-25% of patients that require hospital admission for pancreatitis, is associated also with a 25% mortality rate, and may lead to formation of a retroperitoneal abscess. ⋯ We report a case of a 63-year-old woman with a recently resolved case of pancreatitis who presented to the Emergency Department (ED) with a painful nodule on her left flank for 3 weeks, rapidly progressing over the last 12 h. In the ED, examination revealed an expanding area of erythema over the left flank with sepsis. Computed tomography scan revealed necrotizing pancreatitis with retroperitoneal abscess tracking to the abdominal wall, resulting in necrotizing fasciitis. She was taken emergently to the operating room with a good outcome. WHY SHOULD AN EMERGENCY PHYSICIAN BE AWARE OF THIS?: Acute pancreatitis is common, with a minority of cases resulting in parenchymal necrosis, which can lead to retroperitoneal infections. Rarely, necrotizing fasciitis can present on the abdominal wall as a complication of intraabdominal or retroperitoneal infections. The emergency provider should be aware of these complications that may lead to necrotizing infections and a potentially indolent course.
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Patients suffering ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) requiring transfer from a non-percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) hospital to a PCI-capable hospital often have prolonged treatment times. ⋯ We document a significantly reduced DIDO and FMC2b time after changing mode of transportation for STEMI patients transferred 30 miles for primary PCI. Utilizing ground rather than air transportation, the median FMC2b time was reduced from 123 to 90 min. We show that mode of transportation can dramatically reduce both DIDO time and FMC2b time.