Journal of accident & emergency medicine
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Case Reports
MDMA induced hyperthermia: a survivor with an initial body temperature of 42.9 degrees C.
A young male survived hyperpyrexia (42.9 degrees C) following MDMA ("Ecstasy") ingestion. He developed convulsions, rhabdomyolysis, metabolic acidosis, and respiratory failure. This was successfully managed by assisted ventilation, aggressive fluid therapy, and the early administration of dantrolene, in addition to cooling measures. This is the first report of a survivor with such a severe hyperpyrexia.
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A case of severe methaemoglobinaemia caused by the abuse of volatile nitrites is reported. The agents are commonly abused, but this complication is rare. The clinical presentation can make diagnosis difficult; however, the subsequent treatment needs to be rapid to avoid serious morbidity or mortality. This report presents the clinical picture and the background information leading to the detection and treatment of this unusual problem.
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Colonic seat belt injuries are rare but carry higher mortality rates than small bowel injuries. The case of a 44 year old man is described who had severe sigmoid colon compression injury from his seat belt a few days after a road traffic accident.
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Comparative Study
The misdiagnosis severity score and doctors' perception of the severity of diagnostic errors.
To test the previously described misdiagnosis severity score (MSS) by comparing it with doctors' perceptions of the severity of diagnostic errors. ⋯ It is reasonable to use the MSS as a measure of the severity of diagnostic errors.