Traumatic mediastinal hematoma: a potentially fatal condition that may be overlooked by traditional Focused Assessment with Sonography for Trauma.

Mediastinal hematoma is an uncommon finding in blunt chest trauma. It may be caused by aortic injury, by mediastinal vascular injury such as aortic injury, and by fractures of the sternum and vertebral column. A huge mediastinal hematoma can result in extrapericardial cardiac tamponade by compressing the adjacent organs. Although Focused Assessment with Sonography for Trauma (FAST) can reliably assess the presence of pericardial effusion in the subxiphoid view, it may overlook mediastinal hematoma. We present a 67-year-old male victim of blunt chest trauma complicated with expanding anterior mediastinal hematoma that was undetectable with standard FAST protocol. The large mediastinal hematoma can only be seen in the parasternal long-axis view. When ultrasound is used to assess for anteriorly located mediastinal hematoma, the transducer should be positioned in the parasternal or precordial area to scan into the pericardium and mediastinum. However, these 2 views (parasternal and precordial) are not included in emergency department's traditional FAST examination. The subxiphoid view of FAST can easily miss a mediastinal hematoma. For trauma patients with probable mediastinal injuries, we suggest doing an extended FAST with parasternal long-axis view. Alternatively, one should consider lowering the threshold of thoracic computed tomographic scan in patients with persistent symptoms because a missed mediastinal hematoma could be insidious and fatal.

Ultrasound phantoms made of gelatin covered with hydrocolloid skin dressing.

BACKGROUND: Ultrasound-guided invasive procedures, such as central venous catheter insertion, soft-tissue abscess drainage, and foreign-body removal are essential competencies for Emergency Physicians. Such competencies can be trained using ultrasound phantoms. OBJECTIVE: Our aim is to describe ultrasound phantoms that are easily made, inexpensive, reusable, and can withstand multiple punctures. METHODS: Previously recommended gelatin-only ultrasound phantoms have inadequate surface tension resulting in surface disruption, and cannot tolerate multiple punctures when simulating cyst drainage. RESULTS: By covering the gelatin phantom with a hydrocolloid skin dressing, we are able to minimize physical surface disruption (by transducer or needles) and might reduce biological breakdown due to bacterial propagation. CONCLUSIONS: The elements required to construct homemade reusable ultrasound phantoms are inexpensive and can be easily obtained.

The role of emergency ultrasound for evaluating acute pyelonephritis in the ED.

BACKGROUND: Controversy remains over the imaging method of choice for evaluating acute pyelonephritis (APN) in the emergency department (ED). OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to determine the efficacy of ultrasound in the diagnosis and management of patients presented to the ED with APN. METHODS: This was a retrospective study of prospectively collected data. A cohort of ED patients diagnosed as APN were prospectively registered, and their medical records were then retrospectively reviewed for the presence of complications (admitted >14 days, admission to intensive care unit, or received invasive procedures), significant abnormalities (hydronephrosis, polycystic kidney diseases, renal abscess, emphysematous pyelonephritis), and mild abnormalities (cysts, stones, swelling). RESULTS: The study included 243 patients. Most of the patients received one or more renal imaging studies (n = 206) and 39.5% of which were considered abnormal. The rates of significant abnormalities on different imaging methods were Kidney-ureter-bladder (KUB), 16.3%; emergency ultrasound (EUS), 39.6%; combination of KUB and EUS, 56.6%; and computed tomography, 58.8%. Factors contributed to complicated APN were elderly, male, a history of preexisting renal diseases, current use of catheters, previous renal calculi, and diabetes mellitus. Significant abnormalities can be identified by EUS in 61% of patients with complicated APN. In fact, the presence of significant sonographic abnormalities effectively diverted 34.3% of patients to receive surgical interventions (percutaneous nephrostomy, abscess aspiration, ureteroscopic stone manipulation, lithotripsy, or nephrectomy). CONCLUSION: Structural abnormalities are not uncommon in ED patients with APN. Early assessment of these patients with EUS is likely to have a great impact on their diagnosis and management.

Subcapsular renal hematoma complicating acute pyelonephritis.

Subcapsular renal hematoma (SRH) is an extremely rare complication of acute pyelonephritis (APN). We report a case of SRH complicating APN with a ureteral stone, together with a review of the literature.

Ovarian cystic teratoma torsion in pregnancy.

Acute abdominal pain during pregnancy is encountered frequently and the differential diagnosis is extensive. Acute ovarian torsion in a pregnant patient is rare and is difficult to diagnose. Infarction caused by ovarian torsion will result if the twist is not unwound spontaneously or surgically in a timely fashion. The case is described of a 28-year-old primigravida who originally presented to the emergency department with right lower abdominal pain. The patient was ultimately found to have an extremely large cystic teratoma of the right ovary with concomitant torsion. Bedside ultrasonography is a highly accessible tool that can be used in a pregnant woman for screening a mass or ascites. Laparoscopic surgery has now been accepted as a safe modality for definitive diagnosis and therapeutic intervention. Because acute ovarian torsion is not encountered frequently, timely diagnosis is required to prevent mortality and minimise morbidity. It is important to keep ovarian torsion in the differential diagnosis of any pregnant woman with acute abdominal pain. Emergency physicians should be aware of the possibility of acute ovarian torsion in pregnant women and should have a high index of suspicion. Early surgical intervention should be undertaken.

Dividing the Emergency Department into Red, Yellow, and Green Zones to Control COVID-19 Infection; a Letter to Editor.

 COVID-19, in certain respects, can be viewed as a CBRN (chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear) event due to being a consequence of SARS-CoV2 virus (the "contaminant"). We, thus, reorganized our emergency department (ED) into 3 distinct zones (red, yellow, and green) for the purpose of infection control. Patients with high or medium risk of COVID-19 infection are managed in the red zones. Low-risk patients are managed in the yellow zones. All patients are prohibited to enter the green zones. Green zones are used by healthcare providers (HCPs) for personal protective equipment (PPE) donning, inventory, planning, and dining. Only HCPs who work in the red zones are required to use full level PPE (aerosol precaution). HCPs working in the yellow zones require less PPE (contact and droplet precaution). No PPE is required in the green zones. Establishing red, yellow, and green zones in the ED can be helpful in reducing cross-infections and minimizing demand for PPE.

Ovarian cyst torsion in a toddler.

Acute abdominal pain in children is encountered frequently, and the differential diagnosis is extensive. Acute ovarian torsion in children is rare, especially at a very young age, and a difficult diagnosis to make. Infarction caused by ovarian torsion will result if the twist is not unwound spontaneously or surgically in a timely fashion. We presented a case of acute ovarian cyst torsion in a 2-year-old girl who originally presented to the emergency department with abdominal pain and vomiting. Ultimately, she was found to have a 2-cm cyst of the right ovary with concomitant torsion. Because acute ovarian torsion in a very young child is not encountered frequently, timely diagnosis is required to prevent mortality and minimize morbidity. It is important to keep ovarian torsion in the differential of any female children with acute abdominal pain. Emergency physicians should be aware that the potential of acute ovarian torsion in a very young child has a high index of suspicion and seek early operative intervention.

Prognostic value of QT parameters in patients with acute hemorrhagic stroke: a prospective evaluation with respect to mortality and post-hospitalization bed confinement.

BACKGROUND: This prospective study was performed to evaluate the prognostic prediction value of QT parameters and clinical characteristics exhibited by patients with acute hemorrhagic stroke at the time of presenting to the emergency department (ED). METHODS: One hundred and sixty-six patients admitted to the ED of Taipei Veterans General Hospital from January 2006 to October 2006 because of acute hemorrhagic stroke were enrolled. Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) scores between 3 and 8 were taken to indicate severe neurologic deficits. QT parameters (QT max, QT min, QT dispersion, QTc max, QTc min, QTc dispersion) and other pertinent clinical variables were determined on admission. Logistic regression model was applied to evaluate prognostic prediction values. RESULTS: Mortality was higher among stroke patients with low GCS scores (p < 0.01). Leukocyte counts and systolic blood pressures were significantly higher among non-surviving patients (p = 0.04). No association was found between QT parameters and mortality (all p > 0.05). Among survivors, post-hospitalization bed confinement was required for those significantly older (p = 0.01) and those with higher QT max and QTc max values in multivariate analyses (p = 0.04 and p < 0.01, respectively). CONCLUSION: Low GCS scores, increased leukocyte counts, and elevated systolic blood pressures predict increased mortality for subjects with acute hemorrhagic stroke. Advanced age and prolongations in QTc and QT max at the time of stroke predicted poor functional recovery for these subjects.

The suction-assisted laryngoscopy assisted decontamination technique toward successful intubation during massive vomiting simulation: A pilot before-after study.

This study demonstrated a training program of the suction-assisted laryngoscopy assisted decontamination (S.A.L.A.D.) technique for emergency medical technician paramedic (EMT-P). The effectiveness of the training program on the improvements of skills and confidence in managing soiled airway was evaluated.In this pilot before-after study, 41 EMT-P participated in a training program which consisted of 1 training course and 3 evaluation scenarios. The training course included lectures, demonstration, and practice and focused on how to perform endotracheal intubation in soiled airway with the S.A.L.A.D technique. The first scenario was performed on standard airway mannequin head with clean airway (control scenario). The second scenario (pre-training scenario) and the third scenario (post-training scenario) were performed in airway with simulated massive vomiting. The post-training scenario was applied immediately after the training course. All trainees were requested to perform endotracheal intubation for 3 times in each scenario. The "pass" of a scenario was defined as more than twice successful intubation in a scenario. The intubation time, count of successful intubation, pass rate, and the confidence in endotracheal intubation were evaluated.The intubation time in the post-training scenario was significantly shorter than that in the pre-training scenario (P = .031). The pass rate of the control, pre-training, and post-training scenario was 100%, 82.9%, and 92.7%, respectively. The proportion of trainees reporting confident or very confident in endotracheal intubation in soiled airway increased from 22.0% to 97.6% after the training program. Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed that the adjusted hazard ratio of successful intubation for post-training versus pre-training scenario was 2.13 (95% confidence interval of 1.57-2.91).The S.A.L.A.D. technique training could efficiently help EMT-P performing endotracheal intubation during massive vomiting simulation.

An emerging and devastating acute abdomen in a patient under peritoneal dialysis: encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis.

Peritoneal dialysis (PD) has been applied to patients with end-stage renal disease for more than 2 decades. It should raise physicians' concern about the serious complications of prolonged PD therapy, particularly encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis (EPS), the most potentially life-threatening one. The prevalence and mortality rate of EPS increase as PD duration increases. We report a case of EPS presented with blood-tinged effluents and abdominal pain.

A differential diagnosis in postural headache: herniation of a giant posterior fossa arachnoid cyst.

The causes of postural headache are usually associated with low intracranial pressure. However, there are still rare causes of posture-related headaches that are not associated with low intracraninal pressure and caused by pathologic processes. Herein, we report a patient with giant posterior fossaarachnoid cyst herniating below the level of foramen magnum presenting with postural headache, which has not been described previously in the literature. Emergency physicians should be aware that posterior fossa arachnoid cysts should be considered one of the differential diagnoses in patients with postural headache.

Central cyanosis due to severe pulmonary hypertension combined with pericarditis as the initial manifestation of systemic lupus erythematosus.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a multisystemic autoimmune disorder. The initial manifestation complicating any organ system either singly or in combination is protean. Herein we report a 26-year-old female patient with fresh SLE whose initial manifestation was central cyanosis caused by severe pulmonary hypertension and acute pericarditis. The symptoms were relieved dramatically after treatment with steroid and bosentan. Accurate and timely diagnosis in SLE-associated pulmonary hypertension may be life saving.

Ruptured cervical arteriovenous fistulas presenting with subarachnoid hemorrhage and quadriplegia: an uncommon case.

Nontraumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage is a neurologic emergency, and prompt treatment is necessary to avoid catastrophic result. We present a patient with subarachnoid hemorrhage caused by ruptured cervical intradural extramedullary arteriovenous fistulas, which rapidly progressed to quadriplegia. Because of the timely management, the patient had a good recovery. This is a rare but important case that emergency physicians should be aware of.

Acute urinary retention secondary to perforated diverticulitis misdiagnosed as acute prostatitis.

Abdominal abscess resulting from a perforated diverticulitis has never been reported as a cause of acute urinary retention. Our patient is the first case to be reported. Because of the atypical presentation, he was initially misdiagnosed and treated as having acute prostatitis. Emergency physicians should have a high index of suspicion. Detailed history, abdominal sonography, and digital examination are helpful in diagnosing this disease.

An avoidable abdominal surgery: pneumatosis coli.

We report on the case of a 90-year-old man who presented to the emergency department with constipation for 1 week and abdominal fullness for 2 days. Abdominal plain film radiography disclosed intramural air in the colon, which indicated pneumatosis coli (PC). Exploratory laparotomy was performed immediately under the impression of ischemic bowel disease. Through examination of the mesentery, the intestine and colon revealed no sign of perforation and ischemia. Surgery for PC is limited to patients with signs of perforation, peritonitis, intra-abdominal abscess, or bowel ischemia. Conservative treatment with oxygen supply, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, and antibiotics remain to be the mainstay for most patients with PC.

Painless aortic dissection masquerading as brainstem stroke with catastrophic anticoagulant use.

Painless aortic dissection with only focal neurological symptoms and signs can be a great challenge to the emergency physician. Inadvertently and erroneous treatment of stroke may threaten patient's life. We present a patient with painless aortic dissection (DeBakey I), which was initially misdiagnosed as brainstem stroke with catastrophic anticoagulant use. Finally, the patient died of multiorgan failure after surgical intervention.