Rectal Perforation by an Intrauterine Device Leading to Fatal Intra-Abdominal Sepsis and Necrotizing Fasciitis.

BACKGROUND: Colorectal injury from an intrauterine device (IUD) is rare but may lead to major complications. CASE: A 55-year-old woman presented to a tertiary care hospital with 4 days of generalized weakness, confusion, dysuria, and lower back pain. She provided a vague history of an unsuccessful attempt to remove an IUD 30 years prior. A computed tomography scan demonstrated an IUD in the rectal lumen, with gluteal and pelvic gas and fluid collections. Emergency surgery found necrotizing fasciitis. Despite multiple debridements, sigmoidoscopic IUD removal, and long-term intravenous antibiotics, the patient died from sepsis and multiorgan failure. CONCLUSION: IUDs require proper monitoring and timely removal to prevent potential complications associated with organ perforation.

A scoping review and thematic analysis of social and behavioural research among HIV-serodiscordant couples in high-income settings.

BACKGROUND: While HIV incidence has stabilized in many settings, increases in health and wellbeing among many people living with HIV/AIDS suggest that the number of HIV-serodiscordant relationships is growing. Given the deficit of reviews addressing social and behavioural characteristics of HIV-serodiscordant couples within high-income settings, our objective was to understand the scope of the published literature, identify evidence gaps, and suggest future research needs. METHODS: Ten electronic databases were searched. Studies were included if they were reported in English, used primary data, were from the combination antiretroviral (cART) era (>1996), reported on social or behavioural aspects, included any fraction of primary (i.e., stable) relationships, and were conducted in high-income settings. Studies that identified their unit of analysis as either the dyad or individual member of the couple were included. Studies were coded according to a thematic framework. RESULTS: Included studies (n = 154) clustered into eight themes: risk behaviours (29%), risk management (26%), reproductive issues (12%), relationship quality (9%), serostatus disclosure (7%), adherence to antiretroviral therapy (7%), vulnerability (5%), and social support (3%). The proportion of studies conducted among heterosexual couples, same-sex male couples, and mixed cohorts were 42%, 34%, and 24%, respectively. Most studies (70%) were conducted in the United States, 70% of all studies were quantitative (including interventions), but only one-third were focused on couples (dyads) where both partners are recruited to a study. Over 25% of studies focused on sexual risk among same-sex male couples. CONCLUSIONS: Future research efforts should focus on the interrelationship of risk management strategies and relationship quality, social determinants of health and wellbeing, HIV testing, vulnerable populations, reproductive issues among same-sex couples, disclosure of serodiscordant status to social networks, dyadic studies, population-based studies, and interventions to support risk management within couples. Additional population-based studies and studies among marginalized groups would be helpful for targeting research and interventions to couples that are most in need. As HIV-positive partners are typically the link to services and research, innovative ways are needed for reaching out to HIV-negative partners. Our review suggests that significantly more research is needed to understand the social and behavioural contexts of HIV-serodiscordant relationships.

Initiation of Extended-release Depot Buprenorphine in a Patient Subject to a Community Treatment Order for Both Antipsychotic and Opioid Agonist Treatments.

ABSTRACT: Opioid use disorder (OUD) and schizophrenia are commonly comorbid, and patient outcomes are improved when these conditions are managed concurrently. Medication for OUD such as methadone and buprenorphine are treatments for OUD, yet psychosis introduces additional challenges in retaining patients in care. Extended-release depot buprenorphine is an emerging option for the treatment of moderate-to-severe OUD, and it may provide certain benefits in patients with concurrent OUD and psychosis. We present the case of a 32-year-old man with schizophrenia, traumatic brain injury, and OUD with a history of multiple opioid-related overdoses, followed by an assertive community treatment team, and subject to a community treatment order for both his primary psychotic disorder and OUD treatments. We discuss the role of extended-release depot buprenorphine in this unique patient population and the ethical considerations of involuntary treatment of OUD in patients lacking capacity to consent to treatment.

Scoping Review of Best Practice Guidelines for Care in the Labor and Birth Setting of Pregnant Women Who Use Methamphetamines.

OBJECTIVE: To use a scoping review to explore the existing literature on best practice guidelines for safe, dignified, and compassionate care in the labor and birth setting for pregnant women who use methamphetamines. DATA SOURCES: We conducted a systematic search for articles and best practice guidelines from health-related databases (MEDLINE; CINAHL; and the Web of Science, including the Core Collection and Social Science Citation Index, PsycInfo, Women's Studies International, and Sociological Abstracts) and gray literature. Search terms included substance use disorder, methamphetamine, childbirth, and labor and delivery. STUDY SELECTION: We included English-language, peer-reviewed reports of primary research, systematic reviews, and practice guidelines from credible databases and organizations published between 1991 and 2020. We screened 1,297 resources and agreed to review 156 articles and 16 gray literature resources in the full-text analysis. Nine of the 156 articles and 16 gray literature resources met the inclusion criteria. DATA EXTRACTION: We used the Joanna Briggs Institute review guidelines (2015) criteria for extraction of the following data: author(s); year of publication; type of study; objectives; country of origin; study population and sample size (if applicable); inclusion of best practice guidelines for the labor and birth setting; care approaches specific to safety, dignity, compassion; and the targeted substance(s) discussed (e.g., methamphetamine, opioids, etc.). We further documented the phenomena of interest to determine if articles or best practice guidelines included safe, dignified, and compassionate care approaches specific to pregnant women who use methamphetamine. DATA SYNTHESIS: We summarized the best practice guidelines, which included universal screening, assessment, and management of analgesia during labor, as well as broad guidance regarding the inclusion of a multidisciplinary health care team. Safe, dignified, and compassionate care approaches were focused on communication, shared decision making, and the provision of nonjudgmental care. Although evidence about substance use during the childbearing years is increasing, stronger evidence for clinical care approaches in the labor and birth setting is needed, inclusive of all stakeholder perspectives. CONCLUSION: The articles and best practice guidelines reviewed provided broad clinical recommendations that were applicable to pregnant women who use methamphetamine. However, we did not find a complete comprehensive best practice guideline for labor and birth that was specific, was solution focused, and delineated a safe, dignified, and compassionate care approach.