J Emerg Med
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Hemophilia and von Willebrand disease (VWD) are the most common congenital coagulation factor deficiencies. Patients with these disorders who experience bleeding complications are often initially managed in the emergency department (ED). ⋯ Emergency medicine providers must have an understanding of the pathophysiology, clinical presentation, and management strategies in order to optimally care for these complex patients.
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Case Reports
Point-Of-Care Ultrasound Diagnosis of Medial Plantar Artery Pseudoaneurysm Secondary to Penetrating Injury.
Pseudoaneurysms of the foot are rare and can occur from a range of etiologies, including laceration from a foreign body. The majority of reported cases have been diagnosed by computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, or angiography. These tests require intravenous access and contrast, confer radiation, take time to perform and interpret, are expensive, and are not always readily available in the acute setting. No prior reported pseudoaneurysms of the foot have been diagnosed by point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS). ⋯ An 8-year-old boy presented to the emergency department for evaluation of left foot pain and swelling 2 weeks after stepping on small pieces of broken glass. He had a 3 × 3 cm area of painful swelling and erythema at the medial plantar aspect of his foot. A cutaneous abscess was the working diagnosis and preparations were made for an incision and drainage procedure. However, POCUS revealed a medial plantar artery pseudoaneurysm. Incision and drainage would have led to unexpected arterial bleeding. Instead, the pediatric surgery service was consulted for pseudoaneurysm excision and arterial ligation. WHY SHOULD AN EMERGENCY PHYSICIAN BE AWARE OF THIS?: Incision of a pseudoaneurysm in the sole of the foot-thought to be an abscess based on clinical examination-would lead to unforeseen arterial bleeding. POCUS at the bedside can differentiate between simple abscess and pseudoaneurysm in order to guide appropriate and time-sensitive management. Historical and clinical clues to the diagnosis may include heavier-than-expected bleeding at the time of laceration and a pulsatile quality to the painful erythema and swelling.
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Diagnosing pneumonia and other lung conditions can be challenging in patients with severe intellectual or physical disabilities or severe chest deformities. Physical examination is sometimes difficult to perform and the frequently requested chest x-ray (CXR) study is often of little value in the diagnostic approach to this population. Point-of-care lung ultrasound (US) is an emerging diagnostic tool with particularly high level of accuracy in detecting pneumonia, pleural effusion, and pneumothorax. ⋯ This case series describes four cases demonstrating the usefulness of point-of-care US in a pediatric emergency department for lung assessment in patients for differentiation and diagnosis of acute causes of acute respiratory symptoms, in whom clinical features or CXR failed to confirm or exclude pulmonary complications. WHY SHOULD AN EMERGENCY PHYSICIAN BE AWARE OF THIS?: In patients with chest deformities, pulmonary complications can be disproportionately frequent. Lung US should be recognized as an important adjunctive tool in this subset of patients to detect pneumonia, pleural effusions, and pneumothorax. When used proactively, it can reduce unnecessary radiation exposure, provide more certainty in determining the diagnosis, and, most importantly, inform correct and timely management.
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Emergency medicine is a profession that requires good leadership skills. Emergency physicians must be able to instill confidence in both the staff and patients, inspire the best in others, have the enthusiasm to take on a surplus of responsibilities, and maintain calmness during unexpected circumstances. ⋯ Although some people do have a predisposition to lead, leadership can be both learned and taught. In this article, we provide medical students with the tools that will help them acquire those qualities and thus make them more desirable by program directors.