Daniel L. Belkin, BFA; Mitchell D. Belkin, BA; Maedeh Ashrafi, MD; Charan Vegivinti, MD; Yung-Hsien Wang, MD; Leonidas Palaiodimos, MD – A 65-year-old man with a history of a left-sided inguinal hernia presented with three days of left-sided groin pain worsened with exertion and fatigue. The patient was afebrile but tachycardic, and physical examination revealed a tender, erythematous immobile bulge in his left groin.
Stephen Lammers, MD; Christopher Hong, MD; Jared Tepper, MD; Christy Moore, BS, RDMS, RVT; Cameron Baston, MD, MSCE; Cara D. Dolin, MD, MPH – Complications of fibroids in pregnancy are well known, including postpartum hemorrhage, labor dystocia, and cesarean delivery. Outside of pregnancy and labor, the rare occurrence of spontaneous fibroid rupture has been documented.
Jordan K. Leitch, MD, FRCPC; Anthony M.-H. Ho, MD, FRCPC, FCCP; Rene Allard, MD, FRCPC; Glenio B. Mizubuti, MD, MSc – Point-of-care ultrasound is invaluable in the setting of obstetric anesthesia, where the differential diagnosis for dyspnea, hypoxemia and/or hemodynamic abnormalities is broad. This report describes a previously apparently healthy parturient with an uncomplicated pregnancy at 35-weeks gestation who underwent an emergency cesarean section under general anesthesia due to severe acute abdominal pain and fetal bradycardia.
Anthony M.-H. Ho, MD, FRCPC, FCCP; Joel Parlow, MD, FRCPC; Rene Allard, MD, FRCPC; Michael McMullen, MD, FRCPC; Glenio B. Mizubuti, MD, MSc – Whether regional anesthesia procedures should be performed in heavily sedated/anesthetized adults remains controversial. One of the purported advantages of performing regional nerve blocks in conversant patients is early warning against major nerve injury and, arguably, early detection of local anesthetic systemic toxicity.
by C. Rincón ; J. Cubillos; C. Arzola –
Postpartum hemorrhage is the leading cause of maternal death around the world according to World Health Organization [1]. While cesarean delivery is a risk factor, uterine atony is the main etiology [2]. Cesarean delivery and concomitant tubal sterilization are a known risk of postoperative intra-abdominal bleeding, which can be insidious and difficult to diagnose in the recovery period. Furthermore, a late diagnosis can lead to a less than optimal management. Point-of-care ultrasonography is an available technique that can contribute to a prompt diagnosis and accurate decision-making [3]. We present a case of a patient in postoperative care after cesarean delivery and tubal sterilization who developed hypovolemic shock symptoms, without any sign of uterine atony or vaginal bleeding. Focused assessment with sonography for obstetrics (FASO) was quickly performed in the recovery room to diagnose intra-abdominal bleeding and decision-making to perform an emergency surgical intervention.
by Nicholas Grubic, BScH; Barry Chan, MD –
The use of point-of-care thoracic (lung) ultrasound is an integral part of clinical practice that has shown diagnostic accuracy to help guide clinical decision making for pleural interventions.
by Joaquín Valle Alonso; F Javier Fonseca del Pozo; Eric Van der Bergh; Harriet Kinderman –
Baker’s cyst is a closed collection of fluid that forms in the posterior aspect of the knee. Usually, it appears as a non-painful inflammation in the popliteal fossa. In adults, its aetiology is secondary to problems that cause distension of the knee joint. It is often associated with rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. Occasionally, the cyst may become oversized and rupture with the consequent leakage of synovial fluid into adjacent tissues, presenting a clinical course similar to acute thrombophlebitis.
by Muhammad Khidir, Mb Bch BAO; Nur Hanisah, Mb Bch BAO; Farah Alwi, Dr EmMed; Al-Hilmi Saim, MMed –
Acute aortic dissection and aneurysm are lethal vascular emergencies and may present with various clinical presentations including neurological manifestation. Thus, the diagnosis of aortic dissection and aneurysm can be challenging as it may mimic other disorders whereby misdiagnosis can be fatal. In district general hospitals where advanced radiological modalities are not widely available, Point of Care Ultrasound (POCUS) is a tool to diagnose aortic dissection and aneurysm rapidly and accurately.
by Hadiel Kaiyasah, MD, MRCS (Glasgow), ABHS-GS1 and Maryam Al Ali, MBBS2 –
Soft tissue ultrasound (ST-USS) has been shown to be of utmost importance in assessing patients with soft tissue infections in the emergency department or critical care unit. It aids in guiding the management of soft tissue infection based on the sonographic findings.
by Maryam Al Ali, MBBS; Abeeha Gardezi, MBBsch; Michael Jalal, MBBS; Shihab Al Sheikh, MB.ChB. CABS. MRCS. PgCert medical ultrasound –
Point of care ultrasound (POCUS) plays an important role in the Emergency Department or in any Critical Care Unit. In our case, we present how a POCUS mnemonic guided us in diagnosing two fatal conditions in a single case.