J Emerg Med
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Fungal nervous system infection can be a difficult diagnosis to make, due to the fact that there are no specific manifestations of the disease and laboratory confirmation is difficult to confirm. ⋯ We report a young male who presented to our emergency department with a variety of unilateral visual field complaints. While he initially denied recent IV drug abuse, his physical examination was highly suggestive of a fungal infection known to result from brown heroin use. He was ultimately diagnosed with meningitis, ventriculitis, and endogenous endophthalmitis believed to result from a Candida species. The response to treatment with vitrectomy and broad-spectrum antimicrobials gave support to the presumed diagnosis. WHY SHOULD AN EMERGENCY PHYSICIAN BE AWARE OF THIS?: We provide a rarely described report of a possible complication from the use of IV brown heroin that led to a central nervous system infection involving vision loss by fungal infection.
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The development of novel oral anticoagulants (NOACs) has revolutionized oral anticoagulation. Rapid incorporation of NOACs into general practice has heightened the demand for directed reversal agents. Idarucizumab is a targeted reversal agent that is approved for the urgent reversal of the anticoagulant effects of dabigatran. While it is a welcome addition to reversal strategies of dabigatran, a number of clinical questions exist regarding its place in therapy. ⋯ The initial data suggest a definite role for idarucizumab in treatment of bleeding associated with dabigatran. As more clinical practice experience is gained with the agent and the remaining data on its use are released, clinicians can better guide the clinical use of idarucizumab. At present, there is currently not enough evidence for idarucizumab to be used as monotherapy.
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Many emergency physicians gain familiarity with the laryngeal anatomy only during the brief view achieved during rapid sequence induction and intubation. Awake laryngoscopy in the emergency department (ED) is an important and clinically underutilized procedure. ⋯ We discuss two clinical scenarios, indications/contraindications, patient selection, and steps to performing two approaches to awake laryngoscopy in the ED.