RESUMO
A 67-year-old female presented to the emergency department with acute-onset severe left flank pain as well as nausea and vomiting. Physical examination was notable for left-sided abdominal, flank tenderness, and costovertebral angle tenderness. Laboratory workup revealed an elevated lactate of 9.2 mmol/L and elevated serum creatinine of 1.14 mg/dL, with an estimated glomerular filtration rate of 53 mL/minute/1.73m2. Urinalysis showed moderate leukocyte esterase with microscopy showing 12 white blood cells and three red blood cells per high-power field. CT of the abdomen and pelvis with intravenous contrast was notable for moderate amounts of left-sided perinephric and periureteric fluid without the presence of an obstructing calculus. Due to the amount of perinephric and periureteric fluid without associated nephrolithiasis, the differential diagnosis was broadened to include spontaneous ureter rupture as well as concern for malignancy. A delayed post-contrast CT scan of the abdomen and pelvis was obtained, which confirmed a spontaneous proximal and mid-ureter rupture. Spontaneous ureter rupture is a rare disease process with significant morbidity and mortality. It often poses a diagnostic dilemma due to a lack of clinical awareness and varied presentation. Diagnosis rests upon obtaining delayed post-contrast CT of the abdomen and pelvis. Currently, there are no standardized treatment guidelines, although most experts utilize minimally invasive endourological approaches in their treatment plans.
RESUMO
A 12-year-old female with primary amenorrhea presented to the emergency department with episodic low back pain, suprapubic discomfort, and acute urinary retention. A protruding purple mass was noted at the vaginal introitus consistent with an imperforate hymen. Point-of-care bedside transabdominal ultrasonography revealed a distended uterus containing hypoechoic material. The patient underwent formal pelvic ultrasonography, which revealed a markedly enlarged uterus containing a large number of blood products, thinned myometrium, and a distended vaginal canal consistent with hematometrocolpos secondary to imperforate hymen. Imperforate hymen is a rare congenital anomaly of the female urogenital tract, in which the hymen obstructs the vaginal opening causing a vaginal outlet obstruction. Vaginal outlet obstruction secondary to imperforate hymen may lead to retrograde menstruation with a collection of blood within the uterus and vagina, which is termed hematometrocolpos. Treatment is based on identifying and treating the underlying imperforate hymen with surgical approaches. The growing use of bedside ultrasonography allows the clinician to rapidly and accurately diagnose hematometrocolpos. The use of point-of-care bedside ultrasonography can serve as an essential tool as delayed diagnosis and treatment of this rare condition are associated with significant morbidity and lifelong infertility.
RESUMO
A 29-year-old male presented to our emergency department with complaint of abdominal pain after allegedly ingesting a 4-gram packet of heroin in an attempt to evade detection. Initial evaluation including computed tomography (CT) of the abdomen/pelvis with intravenous and oral contrast, as well as laboratory workup was negative and the patient was discharged. The patient returned 3 days later with complaint of "I feel high" and severe constipation, and demonstrated an opiate toxidrome requiring naloxone with improvement of symptoms. A repeat CT of the abdomen/pelvis, this time without contrast revealed a 2.1 × 1.8 cm foreign body in the gastric antrum. The patient was promptly taken to endoscopy with surgical backup. Foreign body removal included multiple plastic bags encasing heroin, which had sustained a small leak causing a gastric outlet obstruction as well as a slow opiate toxidrome. The foreign body was removed and the patient was observed and discharged with a favorable outcome.