Stercoral Colitis in the Emergency Department: A Retrospective Review of Presentation, Management, and Outcomes.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: Stercoral colitis is inflammation of the bowel wall caused by fecal impaction. Despite reported high morbidity and risk of perforation, little research assessing outcomes is available. This study characterizes the presentation, management, and outcomes of emergency department patients with stercoral colitis. METHODS: We performed a retrospective chart review of ED patients with stercoral colitis identified on computed tomography (CT) scan. Of 814, 522 visits to multiple EDs across the US, 269 met the inclusion criteria. Variables regarding patient presentation, management, and outcomes were extracted from electronic medical records. Results were analyzed with percentages and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). RESULTS: Of 269 patients, the median age was 76 years. The most common chief concern was abdominal pain/distension (33.8%). However, abdominal pain was documented as absent in 62.1% of cases. The most common CT findings included fecal impaction (96.7%), bowel wall inflammation (72.9%), and fat stranding (48.3%). Eighty-four (31.2%) patients were discharged home from the ED, and over half of these (45/84, 53.6%) received no enema, laxatives, or disimpaction. Overall, 9 patients (3.3%, 95% CI 1.6% to 6.5%) required surgical management of a related complication within 3 months, 27 (10.0%, 95% CI 6.8% to 14.4%) returned to the ED within 72 hours, and 9 (3.3%, 95% CI 1.6% to 6.5%) died from a cause related to stercoral colitis within 3 months. CONCLUSION: Patients with stercoral colitis often present in a nonspecific manner, and short-term mortality is substantial. In this study, most discharged patients did not receive recommended treatment. This represents the largest ED study of stercoral colitis and provides further evidence linking this diagnosis with adverse outcomes.

Vaginal leukocyte counts for predicting sexually transmitted infections in the emergency department.

BACKGROUND: The use of vaginal white blood cell (WBC) counts to predict sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in the emergency department (ED) is incompletely characterized. OBJECTIVES: Our objective was to assess the relationship between vaginal wet preparation WBC counts and STIs and to determine whether WBC counts of at least 11 WBCs per high-power field (HPF) could be useful for identifying STIs in women in the ED. METHODS: Female ED patients 18 years or older who were evaluated in a single health system between April 18, 2014, and March 7, 2017, and had a genital wet preparation WBC result were retrospectively examined using univariable and multivariable analysis. RESULTS: Vaginal wet preparation WBC counts were examined for 17,180 patient encounters. Vaginal WBC counts of at least 11 WBCs/HPF were associated with increased odds of having gonorrhea, chlamydia, or trichomoniasis. When this threshold was used for the diagnosis of each STI, sensitivity ranged from 48.2% to 53.9%, and specificity ranged from 67.2% to 68.8%. CONCLUSION: Women with STIs are more likely to have higher vaginal WBC counts. However, higher vaginal wet preparation WBC counts in isolation have limited diagnostic utility for gonorrhea, chlamydia, and trichomoniasis. Incorporation of age, urine leukocyte esterase results, and vaginal WBC counts provided a better predictor of an STI than vaginal WBC counts alone.

Adult Congenital Heart Disease in the Emergency Department.

While congenital heart disease historically was a pathology primarily restricted to specialized pediatric centers, advances in technology have dramatically increased the number of people living into adulthood, the number of complications faced by these patients, and the number of patients visiting non-specialized emergency departments for these concerns. Clinicians need to be aware of the issues specific to patients' individual congenital defects but also have an understanding of how typical cardiac pathology may manifest in this special group of patients. This manuscript attempts to provide an overview of this diverse but increasingly common group of adult patients with congenital heart diseases, including a review of their anatomical variants, the complications they face at the highest rates, and ways that emergency physicians may need to manage these patients differently to avoid causing harm.

Patient and Provider Demographics and the Management of Genitourinary Tract Infections in the Emergency Department.

Introduction: Urinary tract infections (UTIs) and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) can have overlapping signs, symptoms, and findings on urinalysis. Our objective was to determine if patient or provider demographics are associated with differences in the diagnosis and management of UTIs and STIs in the emergency department (ED). Methods: We analyzed 38,062 ED patient encounters from a single healthcare system between April 18, 2014, and March 7, 2017. All encounters were women ≥18 years of age and not admitted to the hospital. We performed logistic regression using patient and provider demographics, laboratory testing results, ED triage data, and ED diagnoses. Results: The patient's age, race, and marital status were not associated with having an ED UTI diagnosis with a urine culture ≥10,000 colony forming units (CFUs)/mL (vs. <10,000 CFUs/mL). Patient race and the sex of the ED provider were not associated with differences in empiric antibiotic treatment for gonorrhea and chlamydia during the ED encounter. Patient's race and the sex of the ED provider were also not associated with discordance between empiric antibiotic therapy given in the ED and the results of gonorrhea and chlamydia tests that resulted following the ED encounter. Conclusion: In our multivariate analyses, we did not observe that the patient's race resulted in significant differences in the diagnosis of UTIs with bacteriuria ≥10,000 CFU/mL or differences in the empiric treatment of gonorrhea and chlamydia infections among those tested for the infection in the ED. The patient's age and marital status, but not the provider's sex, were significantly associated with differences in the management of gonorrhea and chlamydia.

Evaluating urgent care center referrals to the emergency department.

Background and objectives: Urgent care centers (UCCs) are increasingly popular with an estimated number of 9600 stand-alone centers in the United States compared to emergency departments (EDs). These facilities offer a potentially more convenient and affordable option for patients seeking care for a variety of low-acuity conditions. Because of the limitations of UCCs, patients occasionally are referred to EDs for further care. Prior studies have attempted to evaluate the appropriateness of these UCC referrals. Our study is the first to consider if these referrals require ED-specific care and the diagnostic concordance of these referrals. Methods: We performed a retrospective chart review to identify patients who were referred from UCCs to our ED between October 2020 and June 2021. We used a Boolean search strategy to screen charts for the terms urgent care, emergency department, referral, or transfer. Cases were manually screened until 300 met the inclusion criteria. Cases had to feature the patient being seen by a UCC provider and directly referred to the ED on the same day. Patients who presented to the ED of their own volition were excluded. Three independent abstractors reviewed the charts. All abstractors and a senior investigator piloted the use of a data collection sheet and discussed the management of any ambiguous data. A senior physician reviewed all discrepancies among abstractors. Data collected included ED final diagnosis and whether the final diagnosis was similar to the UCC diagnosis. A referral was deemed to require ED-specific care and resources if (1) the patient was admitted, (2) imaging (other than an x-ray) was performed, (3) specialist consultation was required, or (4) care was provided in the ED that is not conventionally available at UCCs. Results: From the 300 patient charts, 55% of patients referred from UCCs to the ED did not require ED-specific care or resources and 64% had discordant diagnoses between UCC diagnosis and ED diagnosis. A total of 41% of patients underwent advanced imaging studies, 26% received specialty consultations, and 15% were admitted. Subgroup analysis for lacerations, extremity/fracture care, and abnormal electrocardiograms (ECGs) showed disproportionally high levels of discordant diagnoses and referrals that did not require ED-specific care or resources. Conclusion: Our data found that 55% of patients referred to EDs from UCCs did not require ED-specific care or resources and 64% carried a discordant diagnosis between UC and ED diagnosis. We suggest quality remedies, such as educational sessions and engagement with telemedicine sub-specialists as well as a coordinated formalized system for UCC to ED referrals.

Patient Suggestions to Improve Emergency Physician Empathy and Communication.

Emergency physician empathy and communication is increasingly important and influences patient satisfaction. This study investigated if there is a need for improvement in provider empathy and communication in our emergency department and what areas could be targeted for future improvement. Patients cared for by emergency physicians with the lowest satisfaction scores were surveyed within 1 week of discharge. Patients rated their emergency provider's empathy and communication and provided feedback on the patient-provider interaction. Compared to survey responses nationally, our providers fell between the 10th and 25th percentiles for all questions, except question 5 (making a plan of action with [the patient]) which was between the 5th and 10th percentile. Areas most frequently cited for improvement were "wanting to know why" (N = 30), "time is short" (N = 15), and "listen to the patient" (N = 13). Survey percentiles and open-ended suggestions demonstrate a need for providers to give thorough explanations, spend more time with the patient, and demonstrate active listening. These themes can be used to strengthen the provider-patient relationship.

COVID-19 Impact on the Doctor-Patient Relationship: Patient Perspectives on Emergency Physician Empathy and Communication.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate in how the current COVID-19 pandemic affects patient's perceptions of emergency physician empathy and communication. METHODS: Patients cared for by Emergency Department physicians with the lowest satisfaction scores were surveyed within one week of discharge via phone. Using questions from the Consultation and Relational Empathy (CARE) survey, patients rated their satisfaction with their Emergency provider's empathy and communication on a scale of 1 to 5 and provided feedback on how the patient-provider interaction could be improved. Demographic data and patient responses to CARE survey questions were compared between pre-COVID-19 and during COVID-19 time. Patient's open-ended responses were analyzed for themes related to the impact of COVID-19 on the patient-provider relationship. RESULTS: Patient median quantitative scores were 5 (4-5) across all five questions of pre-COVID-19 and 5 (4-5) during COVID-19 for all questions except two (showing care and compassion), median 5(5-5). Female patients rated provider empathy and communication lower than mens. There was no differences across age strata. A shift in provider focuses to COVID-19 only care (N=3), and an understanding of the stress on healthcare processes (N=13) from open-ended responses themes emerged of patients who want to minimize interactions within the emergency department (N=3). CONCLUSIONS: The external factor of the current pandemic did not negatively impact patient's satisfaction scores. Many patients express leniency and gratitude for emergency providers during this challenging time. Their responses seem to mirror current societal views of frontline healthcare workers.

Spontaneous tension pneumocephalus resulting from a scalp fistula in a patient with a remotely placed ventriculoperitoneal shunt.

Tension pneumocephalus is a life-threatening condition that requires rapid recognition and intervention. It usually occurs as an early postoperative complication after neurosurgery or after trauma. Delayed tension pneumocephalus after ventriculoperitoneal shunt placement is unusual, with fewer than 50 published case reports, and is rarely caused by a scalp defect. We present a patient with nontraumatic tension pneumocephalus caused by a scalp fistula from a remote ventriculoperitoneal shunt placed 5 years earlier. This case is unique in that the patient underwent percutaneous aspiration of the tension pneumocephalus as a lifesaving procedure in the emergency department, with complete resolution of her symptoms at 30-day follow-up.

The Crashing Toxicology Patient.

This article examines, using an organ-systems based approach, rapid diagnosis, resuscitation, and critical care management of the crashing poisoned patient in the emergency department. The topics discussed in this article include seizures and status epilepticus, respiratory failure, cardiovascular collapse and mechanical circulatory support, antidotes and drug-specific therapies, acute liver failure, and extracorporeal toxin removal.

Teletoxicology: Patient Assessment Using Wearable Audiovisual Streaming Technology.

BACKGROUND: Audiovisual streaming technologies allow detailed remote patient assessment and have been suggested to change management and enhance triage. The advent of wearable, head-mounted devices (HMDs) permits advanced teletoxicology at a relatively low cost. A previously published pilot study supports the feasibility of using the HMD Google Glass® (Google Inc.; Mountain View, CA) for teletoxicology consultation. This study examines the reliability, accuracy, and precision of the poisoned patient assessment when performed remotely via Google Glass®. METHODS: A prospective observational cohort study was performed on 50 patients admitted to a tertiary care center inpatient toxicology service. Toxicology fellows wore Google Glass® and transmitted secure, real-time video and audio of the initial physical examination to a remote investigator not involved in the subject's care. High-resolution still photos of electrocardiograms (ECGs) were transmitted to the remote investigator. On-site and remote investigators recorded physical examination findings and ECG interpretation. Both investigators completed a brief survey about the acceptability and reliability of the streaming technology for each encounter. Kappa scores and simple agreement were calculated for each examination finding and electrocardiogram parameter. Reliability scores and reliability difference were calculated and compared for each encounter. RESULTS: Data were available for analysis of 17 categories of examination and ECG findings. Simple agreement between on-site and remote investigators ranged from 68 to 100 % (median = 94 %, IQR = 10.5). Kappa scores could be calculated for 11/17 parameters and demonstrated slight to fair agreement for two parameters and moderate to almost perfect agreement for nine parameters (median = 0.653; substantial agreement). The lowest Kappa scores were for pupil size and response to light. On a 100-mm visual analog scale (VAS), mean comfort level was 93 and mean reliability rating was 89 for on-site investigators. For remote users, the mean comfort and reliability ratings were 99 and 86, respectively. The average difference in reliability scores between on-site and remote investigators was 2.6, with the difference increasing as reliability scores decreased. CONCLUSION: Remote evaluation of poisoned patients via Google Glass® is possible with a high degree of agreement on examination findings and ECG interpretation. Evaluation of pupil size and response to light is limited, likely by the quality of streaming video. Users of Google Glass® for teletoxicology reported high levels of comfort with the technology and found it reliable, though as reported reliability decreased, remote users were most affected. Further study should compare patient-centered outcomes when using HMDs for consultation to those resulting from telephone consultation.