Cardiac Standstill With Intracardiac Clot Formation

This case describes and depicts cardiac standstill with thrombosed blood within the chambers of the heart. This was likely due to stasis of blood from a prolonged no-flow state. After viewing this ultrasound finding, the decision was made to halt resuscitative efforts in this case of a patient in cardiac arrest

Patellar Tendonitis

[West J Emerg Med. 2011;12(1):139-140.

Methemoglobinemia and Sulfhemoglobinemia in Two Pediatric Patients after Ingestion of Hydroxylamine Sulfate

This case report describes two pediatric cases of immediate oxygen desaturation from methemoglobinemia and sulfhemoglobinemia after one sip from a plastic water bottle containing hydroxylamine sulfate used by a relative to clean shoes. Supplemental oxygen and two separate doses of methylene blue given to one of the patients had no effect on clinical symptoms or pulse oximetry. The patients were admitted to the pediatric Intensive Care Unit (ICU) with subsequent improvement after exchange transfusion. Endoscopy showed ulcer formation in one case and sucralafate was initiated; both patients were discharged after a one-week hospital stay

Splenic Rupture Diagnosed with Bedside Ultrasound in a Patient with Shock in the Emergency Department Following Colonoscopy

A 64-year-old male presented to the emergency department (ED) with near syncope and worsening left flank and shoulder pain. He had undergone a difficult colonoscopy two days prior due to a tortuous colon. Initial vital signs were normal. He looked uncomfortable and had significant left upper quadrant abdominal tenderness with guarding. Thirty minutes after ED arrival, his blood pressure dropped to 73/59 mmHg, requiring aggressive fluid resuscitation. Bedside focused assessment with sonography in trauma (FAST) exam demonstrated free fluid in the abdomen with mixed echogenicity of the spleen, suggestive of splenic injury. Computed tomography (CT) demonstrated a large subcapsular splenic hematoma with active extravasation and surrounding intraperitoneal free fluid (Figure, Video). He was admitted to the surgical intensive care unit. Hemorrhage continued after interventional radiology performed embolization of the splenic artery. He then required laparoscopic splenectomy on hospital day 2 to control bleeding. He subsequently did well and was discharged on hospital day 10

Detection of Type B Aortic Dissection in the Emergency Department with Point-of-Care Ultrasound

Aortic dissection (AD) is a rare, time-sensitive, and potentially fatal condition that can present with subtle signs requiring timely diagnosis and intervention. Although definitive diagnosis is most accurately made through computed tomography angiography, this can be a time-consuming study and the patient may be unstable, thus preventing the study’s completion. Chest radiography (CXR) signs of AD are classically taught yet have poor diagnostic reliability. Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is increasingly used by emergency physicians for the rapid diagnosis of emergent conditions, with multiple case reports illustrating the sonographic signs of AD. We present a case of Stanford type B AD diagnosed by POCUS in the emergency department in a patient with vague symptoms, normal CXR, and without aorta dilation. A subsequent review of CXR versus sonographic signs of AD is described

New Onset Thyrotoxicosis Presenting as Vomiting, Abdominal Pain and Transaminitis in the Emergency Department

This case report describes an unusual presentation of an emergency department (ED) patient with nausea, vomiting, and epigastric pain, who was initially diagnosed with viral hepatitis. The patient returned to the ED seven days later with persistent tachycardia, and was diagnosed with new onset thyrotoxicosis

Thyrotoxic Vomiting: A Case Report and Possible Mechanisms

The symptoms related to gastrointestinal (GI) tract are sometimes chief complaints in patients with endocrine disease. Thyrotoxicosis is a rare, but notable cause for unexplained and repeated vomiting. Here, we report an adolescent patient with thyrotoxicosis who was initially presented with repeated vomiting and epigastric pain. A 13-year-old female was referred to a GI outpatient department for evaluation of vomiting and abdominal pain from a pediatric clinic. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy revealed acute gastritis with duodenogastric reflux and suspicious reflux esophagitis of minimal change, but there was no significant improvement after treatment and as a result she was admitted to the emergency room. She was subsequently diagnosed as Graves' disease because an initial laboratory test at the GI outpatient department revealed thyroid stimulating hormone < 0.01 µIU/mL and additional blood tests showed elevated thyroid hormones and positive thyroid stimulating hormone receptor antibody. The vomiting and epigastric pain improved remarkably after treatment with antithyroid drugs. Clinicians should consider the possibility of thyrotoxicosis in patient with unexplained and repeated vomiting