Items tagged “emergencymedicine”

Aspergillomas are mass-like fungus balls (mycetomas) typically composed of Aspergillus fumigatus and are a non-invasive form of pulmonary aspergillosis. They usually fall under the subgroup chronic pulmonary aspergillosis. Epidemiology Aspergillomas occur in patients with normal immunity but s...

Freiberg disease, also known as Freiberg infraction, is osteochondrosis of the metatarsal heads. It commonly affects the 2nd or 3rdmetatarsal head (in ~2/3 and ~1/4 of all cases, respectively) or rarely, the 4th or 5th metatarsal head 13. It can be bilateral in up to 10% of cases. Epidemiology ...

Consolidation describes increased lung attenuation sufficient to obscure bronchial walls and blood vessels (on non-enhanced CT). Patent airways can be identified by the endoluminal gas as an air bronchogram. Consolidation can be caused by any process that evacuates alveolar air such as pneumonia...

Retropharyngeal abscess is a potentially life-threatening infection involving the retropharyngeal space which requires prompt diagnosis and aggressive therapy. Epidemiology Retropharyngeal abscesses are most frequently encountered in children, with 75% of cases occurring before the age of 5 ye...

Ulnar impaction syndrome, also known as ulnar abutment or ulnocarpal impaction or loading, is a painful degenerative wrist condition caused by the ulnar head impacting upon the ulnar-sided carpus with the injury to the triangular fibrocartilage complex (TFCC). Differentiation from ulnar impinge...

Lobar nephronia, also known as acute focal nephritis, refers to an intermediate stage between acute pyelonephritis and renal abscess, and is a focal region of interstitial nephritis.  It appears as a wedge of poorly perfused renal parenchyma, without a cortical rim sign. The condition is discu...

The causes of non-cardiogenic pulmonary edema can be recalled with the following mnemonic: NOT CARDIAC Mnemonic NOT CARDIAC N: near drowning O: O2 therapy/post-intubation pulmonary edema T: trauma/transfusion (TRALI: transfusion-related acute lung injury) C: CNS: neu...

Bone infarction is a term used to refer to osteonecrosis within the metaphysis or diaphysis of a bone. Necrosis is a type of cell death due to irreversible cell injury, which can be recognized microscopically by alterations in the cytoplasm (becomes eosinophilic) and in the nucleus (swelling, py...

The subacromial-subdeltoid bursa (SASD), also simply known as the subacromial bursa, is a bursa within the shoulder that is simply a potential space in normal individuals. Gross anatomy found deep to the deltoid muscle and the coraco-acromial arch medially in close relation to the acromio-cla...

Large joint dislocations are a frequent presentation to emergency departments. Described in descending order of commonality: shoulder dislocation elbow dislocation posterior dislocation of the hip knee dislocation

Sickle cell disease (SCD) (historically also known as drepanocytosis) is a hereditary (autosomal recessive) condition resulting in the formation of abnormal hemoglobin (a hemoglobinopathy), which manifests as multisystem ischemia and infarction, as well as hemolytic anemia.  Hemoglobin SC (HbSC...

Susac syndrome, also known as retinocochleocerebral vasculopathy or SICRET syndrome (small infarctions of cochlear, retinal and encephalic tissue), is a rare syndrome typically affecting young to middle-aged women that is clinically characterized by the triad of acute or subacute encephalopathy,...

The presence of skeletal muscle edema (increased high T2/STIR signal) on MRI carries an extremely broad differential. Potential diagnoses include: trauma effects of direct injury or tear denervation injury: denervation changes in muscles early myositis ossificans inflammatory myopathies de...

Posterior shoulder dislocations are far less common than anterior shoulder dislocations and can be difficult to identify if only AP projections are obtained. A high index of suspicion is helpful. Epidemiology Posterior shoulder dislocations account for only 2-4% of all shoulder dislocations (t...

Acute aortic syndrome describes the presentation of patients with one of a number of life-threatening aortic pathologies that give rise to similar clinical presentations. Exactly which entities are included under the umbrella term acute aortic syndrome varies somewhat from publication to public...

Infectious myositis is an infection of skeletal muscle, and can be acute, subacute, or chronic. Pyomyositis refers specifically to a bacterial infection of skeletal muscle.  Epidemiology It is most often seen in young adults. Pyomyositis, or bacterial myositis, was once considered a tropical d...

Placental abruption (or abruptio placentae) refers to a premature separation of the normally implanted placenta after the 20th week of gestation and before the 3rd stage of labor. It is a potentially fatal complication of pregnancy and is a significant cause of third-trimester bleeding/antepartu...

Tension pneumocephalus is a neurosurgical emergency that occurs when subdural air causes a mass effect over the underlying brain parenchyma, often from a ball-valve mechanism causing one-way entry of air into the subdural space 1. Clinical presentation Tension pneumocephalus has a varied clini...

Uterine rupture is a rare but nevertheless potentially catastrophic complication that can occur in pregnancy.  Epidemiology The incidence rate in pregnancy is 0.05% 6.   Clinical presentation Uterine rupture is usually an acute presentation with hemodynamic instability and abdominal discomfo...

Dacryocystitis is the inflammation of the nasolacrimal sac related to impairment in the lacrimal drainage system and superimposed infection.  Epidemiology Dacryocystitis has a bimodal distribution: neonates due to congenital abnormalities and when acquired, usually affect individuals older tha...