J Emerg Med
-
Case Reports
A Rare Cause of Septic Shock in the Emergency Department in an Intellectually-Disabled Child.
Sepsis in older children is often associated with the presence of developmental abnormalities and cerebral palsy. While relatively uncommon, surgical abdomen in these patients is associated with a high rate of mortality. Few reports have been described of sepsis caused by isolated cecal necrosis. ⋯ We report a 13-year-old child with cerebral palsy and global developmental delay who presented to the emergency department with acute worsening abdominal distention that the mother attributed to chronic constipation. Clinical evaluation revealed that she was in severe septic shock and needed immediate stabilization after which she underwent an exploratory laparotomy. Operative findings revealed cecal necrosis that necessitated an ileocecectomy. WHY SHOULD AN EMERGENCY PHYSICIAN BE AWARE OF THIS?: Children with intellectual disabilities presenting with sepsis to the emergency department can be particularly challenging given the communication barriers and the time-sensitive nature of the condition. When evaluating these patients, a thorough history and examination are often the only tools that assist in the early identification of the infectious source, leading to improved clinical outcomes.© 2019 Elsevier Inc.
-
Case Reports
Oculomotor Nerve Palsy in the Emergency Department: A Complication of Epidural Injection.
Epidural injections are routinely used for management of radicular pain and are prevalent nonsurgical interventions for chronic low back pain. Pneumocephalus is a rare complication that may occur as a result of inadvertent dural puncture with an epidural needle. Pneumocephalus-induced cranial nerve deficit is also rare, with only a few reported cases. ⋯ We report a case of a 61-year-old woman with a chief complaint of diplopia after she underwent epidural injection for chronic lumbar pain. Her examination was remarkable for a partial right oculomotor nerve palsy. We obtained a computed tomography brain scan, which revealed pneumocephalus. She was managed conservatively and reported complete symptom resolution after 2 weeks. WHY SHOULD AN EMERGENCY PHYSICIAN BE AWARE OF THIS?: Pneumocephalus is an uncommon complication of epidural spinal injections. Emergency physicians should include this on the differential for a patient presenting with cranial nerve deficit after this procedure.
-
The current practice at a large urban academic emergency department (ED) is to obtain screening electrocardiograms (ECGs) as part of the medical screening on all psychiatric patients who test positive for cocaine. ⋯ Most ED patients with recent cocaine use but without chest pain have a normal ECG. Of the minority with an abnormal ECG, no cases of acute myocardial ischemia or infarction were identified.