J Emerg Med
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Case Reports
Polyarticular Septic Arthritis Secondary to Septic Thrombophlebitis of the Brachiocephalic Vein: A Rare Case Report.
Polyarticular septic arthritis (PASA) accounts for approximately 15% of all septic arthritides and is rare in immunocompetent adults. Even with appropriate therapy PASA's mortality rate is nearly 50%. ⋯ We report a rare presentation of PASA caused by idiopathic septic thrombophlebitis of the brachiocephalic vein in an immunocompetent adult female patient who presented with symptoms of right clavicular, left wrist, and right hip pain associated with fevers. Methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus was isolated in blood cultures and joint aspiration of one of the affected hips. Transesophageal echocardiogram was negative for valvular vegetations and computed tomography chest with contrast revealed thrombi in the brachiocephalic and subclavian veins extending to the superior vena cava. It also showed bilateral pulmonary nodules consistent with septic pulmonary emboli. No clear precipitant for the underlying septic thrombophlebitis was identified. Management was conservative, with systemic anticoagulation and IV antibiotics. The patient's symptoms improved, and she was discharged to subacute rehabilitation. WHY SHOULD AN EMERGENCY PHYSICIAN BE AWARE OF THIS?: Early diagnosis and treatment of PASA in the emergency department is imperative to reducing overall morbidity and mortality associated with this condition. To the best of our knowledge, this is the only case report of idiopathic septic thrombophlebitis of the subclavian vein causing PASA in an immunocompetent adult.
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Cryoglobulinemia is a hematologic condition characterized by the presence of immunologic proteins in the blood, resulting from underlying malignancy to chronic viral processes. The recognition of this condition is critically vital, as patients can first present to the emergency department as their initial manifestation of disease. ⋯ We present a case of cryoglobulinemia, discuss the clinically important types, their presentations, and then emergent complications that can be encountered in the emergency setting. Why Should an Emergency Physician Be Aware of This? Cryoglobulinemia comes in two clinically significant types, both of which can be indicative of an underlying hematologic malignancy, autoimmune, or viral process. The presentation can appear dramatic and can also mimic severe critical illness, for example, meningococcemia. Recognition and appropriate disposition is crucial for the best patient outcome.
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Data on extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR) in patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) and initially nonshockable rhythms are limited. ⋯ Approximately 10% of initially nonshockable patients with OHCA, generally considered to be a poor prognosis, could acquire good neurological outcomes when they underwent ECPR with our indications.
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Drowning is one of the leading causes of death in the pediatric population. Patients arriving to the emergency department (ED) with submersion injuries are often asymptomatic and well-appearing, but can sometimes present critically ill and require prolonged resuscitation. The question of how long to continue resuscitation of a pediatric patient with a submersion injury is a difficult question to answer. ⋯ We present a case of 6-year-old boy was found by his friends submerged in sea water for 10-15 min. The patient was rescued by lifeguards and evaluated by emergency medical personnel, who found him breathing spontaneously but unresponsive. En route to hospital, the patient became apneic, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) was started, and the patient was intubated. The patient arrived to the ED in cardiopulmonary arrest, CPR was continued and epinephrine was administered. Return of spontaneous circulation was achieved after 42 min in the ED. Initial laboratory test results showed severe acidosis and chest x-ray study showed diffuse interstitial edema. Ventilator settings were adjusted in accordance with lung protective ventilation strategies and the acidosis began to improve. Over the next several days, the patient was weaned to noninvasive ventilation modalities and eventually made a complete neurologic recovery and continued to be a straight-A student. Why Should an Emergency Physician Be Aware of This?We make the case that, in select drowning patients, duration of CPR longer than 30 min can potentially result in favorable neurologic outcomes. Prolonged CPR should be especially strongly considered in patients with a pulse at any point during evaluation. With the combination of prolonged CPR and judicious use of lung protective mechanical ventilation strategies, we were able to successfully treat the patient in our case.
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Case Reports
Streptococcal Toxic Shock Syndrome in a Pediatric Patient With Intramuscular Venous Malformation in the Neck.
Streptococcal toxic shock syndrome (STSS) is diagnosed based on signs of shock with multiorgan system involvement, a generalized erythematous macular rash, and rapidly progressive and destructive soft tissue infection. ⋯ The patient was a 2-year-old girl with intramuscular venous malformation in the neck in which an infection occurred, developing into STSS. WHY SHOULD AN EMERGENCY PHYSICIAN BE AWARE OF THIS?: Group A streptococcal infections are common in children and usually have a mild clinical presentation, but may be life threatening in severe cases. Patients with venous malformations are known to have slow-flow anomalies with venous pooling, which can result in hypoxia and possible immune cell dysfunction. Thus, clinicians should be aware of STSS when a patient with venous malformation has a rapidly progressive infection.