Splenic injury caused by cardiopulmonary resuscitation in a full stomach with hematoma after hemorrhagic shock due to bleeding duodenal ulcer: A case report.

Background: Cardiopulmonary resuscitation is essential for cardiopulmonary arrest, but complications from chest compressions warrant monitoring. Although rib and sternal fractures are common, abdominal injuries are rare, and splenic injuries are much rarer. Case Presentation: A 74-year-old man was admitted to the emergency room with a hemorrhagic duodenal ulcer. During hospitalization, the patient went into cardiopulmonary arrest due to hemorrhagic shock. Spontaneous circulation returned after 7 min of cardiopulmonary resuscitation. He underwent transcatheter arterial embolization to stop the bleeding from the duodenal ulcer. The next day, a close examination of the patient's progressive anemia revealed splenic injury; transcatheter arterial embolization was performed to save his life. Conclusion: It is important to consider the complication of splenic injury in patients with cardiopulmonary arrest who have undergone appropriate cardiopulmonary resuscitation. A possible mechanism-especially in patients with a full stomach-is the squeezing of the spleen by the diaphragm, abdominal wall, and stomach.

Abdominal internal oblique muscle hematoma of an obese middle-aged man induced by cough.

An obese middle-aged man presented for left abdominal pain. CT scan with contrast medium revealed hematoma in the left abdominal internal oblique muscle.

Segmental arterial mediolysis with a ruptured visceral artery on two consecutive days.

Background: We describe a case of segmental arterial mediolysis in which a vessel ruptured on two consecutive days. Case Presentation: A 69-year-old man presented with sudden-onset abdominal pain. Computed tomography showed a hematoma in the gastric wall. The patient was discharged after the pain was relieved but returned 8 h later with abdominal pain and shock. Repeated computed tomography revealed a massive intra-abdominal hemorrhage without previous aneurysm formation. Emergency angiography and coil embolization were successfully carried out. Segmental arterial mediolysis was diagnosed after irregular vasodilated lesions were observed in multiple arteries. Conclusion: This case suggests that accurately predicting the next vessel rupture is difficult. For patients experiencing intra-abdominal bleeding with segmental arterial mediolysis, we suggest treating only ruptured aneurysms and closely following-up unruptured aneurysms.

Safety and efficacy of cold-water immersion in the treatment of older patients with heat stroke: a case series.

BACKGROUND: Heat stroke treatment focuses on rapid cooling because symptom severity correlates with the duration of hyperthermia (i.e., time during which the core body temperature is sustained above the critical threshold). Several reports have revealed that cold-water immersion is a safe and appropriate therapy for exertional heat stroke in young, otherwise healthy patients. However, few reports have assessed cold-water immersion in older patients. We document three cases of cold-water immersion in older heat stroke patients and evaluate its safety and efficacy. CASE PRESENTATION: Three older patients with severe heat stroke were treated with cold-water immersion. Core body temperatures decreased rapidly, and no complications occurred during the treatment. CONCLUSION: Cold-water immersion can achieve rapid cooling and is effective in treating heat stroke. With special precautions, it can be performed safely for older patients. Further investigation is warranted to establish appropriate cooling methods in older adults.

Galápagosization of sepsis management in Japan: a nationwide survey of current practices.

AIM: Sepsis treatment has been standardized in many countries worldwide. However, treatment of sepsis in Japan has developed independently, and how Japanese physicians actually treat sepsis patients nationwide remains uninvestigated. The aim of this study was to clarify the current practice for septic patients in Japan and how it differs from standard care throughout the world. METHODS: This study was designed as a prospective, cross-sectional, self-reported questionnaire- and Web-based electronic survey in Japan. The survey was undertaken to assess respondents' clinical practices and preferences regarding treatment strategies, sepsis assessment, and management in the setting of critical illness. An exploratory factor analysis and a hierarchical cluster analysis were carried out to identify the treatments distinctive to Japan, called "Galápagos therapies". RESULTS: The final analysis included 295 respondents. According to the factor analysis, we defined anticoagulant therapy for disseminated intravascular coagulation, antimediator renal replacement therapy, and others as Galápagos therapies. These Galápagos therapies were undertaken by approximately two-thirds of the Japanese physicians who responded. We classified Japanese physicians according to three patterns of clinical practice carried out for sepsis: (i) those who do not perform Galápagos therapies but do perform worldwide standardized care, (ii) those who perform Galápagos therapies on top of worldwide standardized care, (iii) those who do not perform worldwide standardized care. CONCLUSION: On the basis of a nationwide questionnaire-based survey in Japan, we clarified distinctive sepsis treatments performed in Japan, such as antimediator renal replacement therapy and treatment for sepsis-induced disseminated intravascular coagulation.

The anticoagulant treatment for sepsis induced disseminated intravascular coagulation; network meta-analysis.

INTRODUCTION: The benefits and harm caused by anticoagulant treatments for sepsis induced disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) remain unclear. Therefore, we performed a network meta-analysis to assess the effect of available anticoagulant treatments on patient mortality, DIC resolution and the incidence of bleeding complication in patients with septic DIC. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We considered all studies from four recent systematic reviews and searched the PubMed, MEDLINE, and Cochrane databases for other studies that investigated anticoagulant treatment for septic DIC using antithrombin, thrombomodulin, heparin, or protease inhibitors in adult critically ill patients. These four anticoagulants and placebo were compared. The primary outcome in this study was patient mortality, and the secondary outcomes were the DIC resolution rate and incidence of bleeding complications. RESULTS: The network meta-analysis included 1340 patients from nine studies. There were no significant differences in the risks of mortality and bleeding complications among all direct comparisons and the network meta-analysis. Using a placebo was associated with a significantly lower rate of DIC resolution, compared to antithrombin in the direct comparison (odds ratio [OR]: 0.20, 95% credible interval [95% CrI]: 0.046-0.81) and in the network meta-analysis (OR: 0.20, 95% CrI: 0.043-0.84). CONCLUSIONS: Our study revealed no significant differences in the risks for mortality and bleeding complications when a placebo and all four anticoagulants were compared in septic DIC patients. The results also indicated that antithrombin was associated with a five-fold higher likelihood of DIC resolution, compared to placebo.

Catatonic Symptoms Appearing before Autonomic Symptoms Help Distinguish Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome from Malignant Catatonia.

A 42-year-old Japanese woman with a 10-year history of schizophrenia was admitted due to a disturbance in consciousness that met the diagnostic criteria for both neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS) and malignant catatonia. Despite systemic supportive treatments, the catatonic symptoms preceding autonomic symptoms persisted. The symptoms improved after lorazepam administration, leading to a retrospective diagnosis of malignant catatonia. Catatonia is thought to be caused by a dysfunction of ganmma-aminobutyric acid type A receptors in the cortico-cortical networks of the frontal lobes, which causes hypoactivity of the dopaminergic transmission in the subcortical areas. Identifying the catatonic symptoms preceding autonomic symptoms could aid in distinguishing malignant catatonia from NMS.