Articles: acute-pain.
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An overdistended gallbladder is usually observed in cases of distal bile obstruction due to malignancy. The gallbladder may also become enlarged and distended during cystic duct or gallbladder neck obstruction due to gallstones. However, a grossly distended gallbladder ( > 14 cm in length) without any pathology is rare. We present the case of a 46-year-old female patient who suffered from acute right lower quadrant pain for 4 days. Initially, a liver cyst and a choledochal cyst were diagnosed by the local hospital. Then, the diagnosis of giant gallbladder (measuring approximately 20.0 cm × 7.0 cm and containing more than 30 gallbladder stones) was made by magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography at our hospital. Finally, we successfully performed a laparoscopic cholecystectomy and the patient had an uneventful recovery. ⋯ The patient was successfully treated using laparoscopic cholecystectomy. This rare case may contribute to the development of mechanisms for treating giant gallbladders.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Subcutaneous versus intravenous tramadol for extremity injury with moderate pain in the emergency department: a randomised controlled noninferiority trial.
Musculoskeletal trauma is a common presentation in the emergency department (ED). Tramadol as an analgesic has been recommended by pain management guidelines for musculoskeletal pain. Parenteral tramadol in the ED is commonly administered intravenously. Subcutaneously administered tramadol may have other advantages such as easier and faster preparation, avoids the need for intravenous (i.v.) access, and reduces the incidence of respiratory and gastrointestinal effects. However, studies comparing subcutaneous (s.c.) and i.v. tramadol for the management of acute moderate pain in patients with extremity injury are lacking. ⋯ The s.c. tramadol is noninferior to i.v. tramadol in the treatment of moderate pain from extremity injuries.
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Case Reports
An Unusual Cause of Fever, Neck Pain, and Neck Stiffness: Acute Calcific Tendinitis of the Longus Colli Muscle.
Acute calcific tendinitis (ACT) of the longus colli muscle (LCM) is an inflammatory response due to deposition of calcium hydroxyapatite crystals. It is typically correlated with whiplash and overuse injuries. A common presentation of this inflammatory response is acute but progressive neck pain. It is a rare but important cause of neck pain that should be considered on a differential diagnosis when distinguishing between life-threatening conditions and non-life-threatening causes of neck pain. ⋯ A 51-year-old woman presented to the emergency department (ED) reporting a mild sore throat that progressed to acute neck pain and stiffness. She also reported fatigue, fever, myalgias, and nausea. In the ED, the patient was tachycardic, hypertensive, and mildly febrile with normal oxygen saturation. Examination revealed meningismus and was negative for lymphadenopathy, oropharyngeal findings, and neurologic deficits. Laboratory studies were significant for leukocytosis. Computed tomography (CT) neck was obtained and was notable for calcification of the superior left longus colli muscle with prevertebral and retropharyngeal space edema along the muscle body. WHY SHOULD AN EMERGENCY PHYSICIAN BE AWARE OF THIS?: ACT of the LCM is a benign, self-limited condition that can present with features overlapping emergent causes of acute neck pain. Correct diagnosis relies on characteristic radiographic findings on CT. Fortunately, patients may be discharged home with a short course of anti-inflammatories and corticosteroids with near-complete resolution of symptoms. Emergency physicians, therefore, can rule out life-threatening causes of neck pain, while also making a definitive diagnosis and initiating effective management for this pathology.
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Nurses are confronted with patients suffering from acute and/or chronic pain in all nursing care settings and within all target groups. Although national and international guidelines on chronic pain emphasize the importance of non-pharmacological interventions (for example, hot and cold applications) and educational approaches such as teaching self-management strategies to deal with pain, the most common applied intervention for chronic and acute pain is a pharmacological therapy. The aim of this article is to provide an overview of the potential of naturopathic nursing interventions for the care of patients with chronic and/or acute pain, focusing on so-called external applications such as wraps and compresses, which are safe, have a low-risk profile and are easy to apply, thus making them suitable for self-application. The use of non-pharmacological interventions as well as the counselling and training of patients in naturopathic applications offer nurses the possibility to work in an autonomous field of nursing promoting nursing as an attractive health profession.
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Multicenter Study
Impact of modified-release opioid use on clinical outcomes following total hip and knee arthroplasty: a propensity score-matched cohort study.
Modified-release opioids are often prescribed for the management of moderate to severe acute pain following total hip and knee arthroplasty, despite recommendations against their use due to increasing concerns regarding harm. The primary objective of this multicentre study was to examine the impact of modified-release opioid use on the incidence of opioid-related adverse events compared with immediate-release opioid use, among adult inpatients following total hip or knee arthroplasty. Data for total hip and knee arthroplasty inpatients receiving an opioid analgesic for postoperative analgesia during hospitalisation were collected from electronic medical records of three tertiary metropolitan hospitals in Australia. ⋯ This included total opioid dose received. In the matched cohorts, patients given modified-release opioids (n = 347) experienced a higher incidence of opioid-related adverse events overall, compared with those given immediate-release opioids only (20.5%, 71/347 vs. 12.7%, 44/347; difference in proportions 7.8% [95%CI 2.3-13.3%]). Modified-release opioid use was associated with an increased risk of harm when used for acute pain during hospitalisation after total hip or knee arthroplasty.