Items tagged “emergency medicine”

Broad ligament hernias (alternative plural: herniae) are a type of internal hernia in which small bowel passes through a congenital or acquired defect in the broad ligament. Epidemiology Broad ligament herniation is very rare and accounts for 4%-7% of all internal hernias 1. Clinical presenta...

Supravesical hernias (alternative plural: herniae) are a type of abdominal hernia in which viscera protrude through the supravesical fossa. Pathology Laxity with failure of the transversalis fascia and the transversus abdominis muscle are the main cause of supravesical hernias in virgin abdome...

Internal supravesical hernias (alternative plural: herniae) are a type of internal hernia in which viscera protrude into the supravesical fossa, occupying the paravesical space. Epidemiology It is a very rare condition and accounts for less than 4% of all internal herniae 4. Clinical presenta...

Splenic volvulus (rare plural: volvuli) also called splenic torsion may be seen as a complication of a wandering spleen due to weakness of the splenic ligaments 1. Clinical presentation abdominal pain: mild to severe in intensity which depends on the degree of torsion 4-6 abdominal mass 5 ab...

The APPEND score is a clinical decision rule and predictor of the likelihood of acute appendicitis. Criteria Each of the following is worth 1 point 1: male gender anorexia migratory pain localized peritonism elevated CRP >15 mg/L neutrophilia >7.5x109/L APPEND refers to the mnemonic: A...

Shock is a pathologic state in which cellular injury results from an inadequate degree of effective tissue perfusion 5. It is commonly subcategorized by hemodynamic parameters into hypovolemic, distributive, cardiogenic, and extracardiac obstructive shock 1. Common causes include hemorrhage, car...

Febrile seizures are a largely idiopathic phenomenon which may occur between 6 and 60 months of age, defined by a seizure occurring concomitantly with a temperature over 38°C (100.4°F). This entity excludes seizures associated with infections of the central nervous system such as bacterial menin...

The fascia iliaca compartment block is a nerve block used to provide anesthesia to the lower extremity commonly in the perioperative period. It is most commonly used for analgesia of the hip, thigh, and knee. It involves the deposition of a local anesthetic beneath the fascia iliaca, targeting t...

The lung pulse sign refers to the sonographic finding of apparent oscillations of the pleural line occurring secondary to transmitted vibrations from cardiac contractile activity 1.  Typically obscured by the more apparent “lung sliding” as a result of ventilated lung expanding and contracting ...

Appendicitis Inflammatory Response (AIR) score is a scoring system developed to assist in diagnosis of acute appendicitis based on clinical and laboratory findings 1. Criteria vomiting (+1 point) right iliac fossa tenderness (+1 point) rebound tenderness light (+1 point), or medium (+2 poi...

A greater occipital nerve block is a diagnostic and/or therapeutic procedure in which the medial, sensory branch from the second cervical spinal nerve is targeted with local anesthesia.   Indications occipital neuralgia migraine post-dural puncture headache cluster headache Contraindicatio...