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Cases

May 2007 - Posts

  • Case of the Week - Case # 29

    A 64-year-old white female with a PMH of metastatic breast CA, hypertension, osteoarthritis and peripheral vascular disease presents to the ED after being noted by family to have mental status changes.  She is currently undergoing her third round of chemotherapy and her last treatment was 3 days ago.  Her daily meds include: fentanyl patch, percocet, tenormin, and naprosyn. Family has noted that the patient has been vomiting and complaining of being weak. 

    You are asked to see the patient by one of your nurses because "she looks like she is going to die."  On exam, you note that she has a blood pressure of 68/40, heart rate of 78, respiratory rate of 36 and a temperature of 35.5 rectally.   
     
    Your mind is flooded with potential diagnoses: pulmonary emboli, GI bleed or internal hemorrhage, pericardial tamponade, adverse medication effect, sepsis and MI.  Physical exam, EKG, CXR and stat lab testing reveal no evidence of an acute STEMI, pneumonia, gi bleeding or obvious focus for infection.  She was found to have a severe neutropenia as well has hypercalcemia.  There is no change in her exam with the administration of narcan. 

    You quickly grab your ultrasound machine and note the following:
     
    Posted May 30 2007, 11:27 PM by Rob with no comments
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  • Case of the Week - Case # 28

    42 y.o. male who presents with right flank pain, nausea and vomiting. The patient has been hiking and camping for the last 2 days. He was in his normal state of health until 2 days ago when he developed sudden onset of right flank pain. Since then he has been unable to hold any fluids down. His vitals are: BP 120/62, HR 110, RR 18, T 37.0, Pulse Ox – 98%.

    Your resident performs a renal ultrasound…they show the images to you and these are the best they can obtain.  They question that there may be some hydro-but they aren't sure.  Since they feel it at best is mild, then they doubt he could have a significant stone...
     
    Posted May 26 2007, 02:59 PM by Rob with no comments
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  • Case of the Week - Case # 27

    52 y.o. male who presents after the car he was driving struck a tree.  The patient was a restrained driver. He currently complains of left and right upper quadrant abdominal pain. He has anterior torso bruising and complains of right wrist pain. His vitals are: BP  148/82, HR 90, RR 18, T 37.0, Pulse Ox – 98%.  You perform a FAST ultrasound. His cardiac view is normal. The remainder of the images are seen on the next slide…
     
    Posted May 16 2007, 01:12 AM by Rob with no comments
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  • Case of the Week - Case # 26

    34 y.o. female presents with severe abdominal pain three days after having undergone a D&C and endometrial EMsono Clinical Ultrasound Casebiopsy. The patient is toxic in appearance with diffuse tenderness and rebound on examination. Her vitals are: BP 76/42, HR 148, RR 28, T 39.5.  You perform a transabdominal ultrasound of her pelvis and note the following...
     
  • Case of the Week - Case # 25

    26-year-old male with severe bullous lung disease presents to the ED with severe right sided pleuritic chest pain. His vitals are stable and he is not hypoxic. His upright CXR reveals the severe bullous disease but no obvious pneumothorax. You perform a thoracic ultrasound and note the following...
     
    Posted May 02 2007, 01:40 AM by Rob with no comments
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