Skull Base Osteomyelitis in the Emergency Department: A Case Report

Skull base osteomyelitis (SBO) is a rare clinical presentation and usually occurs as a complication of trauma or sinusitis. A 5-year-old child presented to the emergency department with a three-week history of fever associated with drowsiness and left parietal headache, and a week's history of swelling on the left frontoparietal soft tissue. He had suffered a penetrating scalp injury four month ago. On physical examination, there was a tender swelling with purulent stream on the lateral half of his scalp. His vital signs are within normal limits. Plain X-ray of the skull showed a lytic lesion on the left frontoparietal bone. A cranial computed tomography (CT) scan demonstrated a large subgaleal abscess at the left frontoparietal region. SBO possesses a high morbidity and mortality; therefore, prompt diagnosis and appropriate treatment are mandatory to prevent further complications and to reduce morbidity and mortality significantly

Neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio and Red blood cell distribution width are independent risk factors for 30-day mortality in Gastrointestinal system bleeding patients

Background. In this study, we aimed to examine demographic and endoscopic features of patients with GI bleeding to determine the factors affecting 30-day mortality. Method. Patient’s demographic features, laboratory outcomes, comorbidities, drug use, endoscopy outcomes, Glasgow-Blatchford scores, and mortality status were examined. The factors affecting 30-day mortality were investigated. Results. The mean age of the patients was 58.2±17.4 years, and 72.1% were male patients. 30-day mortality rate was found to be 14.4%. The mean age of patients who died was high (p0.05). Urea, neutrophils, red blood cell distribution width / platelet ratio, neutrophil / lymphocyte ratio and RDW levels were high, and hemoglobin level was significantly low in patients with a mortal progression (p0.05). Glasgow-Blatchford score was significantly higher in patients who died (p<0.05). Conclusion. Many factors affect 30-day mortality in GI bleeding. It should be remembered that follow-up of patients with an advanced age who have comorbidity and impaired hemodynamics should be kept for long, and that these patients are at a high risk for mortality. According to our results, NLR and RDW are independent factors that determine the 30-day mortality in upper GI bleeding

Isolated Transverse Sacrum Fracture: A Case Report

Sacral fracture commonly results from high-energy trauma. Most insufficiency fractures of the sacrum are seen in women after the age of 70. Fractures of the sacrum are rare and generally combined with a concomitant pelvic fracture. Transverse sacral fractures are even less frequent which constitute only 3–5% of all sacral fractures. This type of fractures provide a diagnostic challenge. We report a unique case of isolated transverse fracture of sacrum in a young man sustained low-energy trauma. The patient presented to our emergency department after several hours of injury, and diagnosed by clinical features and roentgenogram findings

Role of Redcell Distribution Weight in Predicting Disease Severity, Mortality and Complication in Patients With Acute Pancreatitis

The goal of the present study was to investigate the significance of the Red Cell Distribution Width (RDW) in identifying the severity, mortality and complications of the disease at an early stage in patients with acute pancreatitis (AP). 343 patients with AP presented to the emergency department during one year were included in this retrospective study. Demographic, laboratory and imaging results were recorded. Bedside Index for Severity in AP (BISAP) score was calculated. The patients who developed pancreatitis-related mortality were recorded. The diagnostic powers of RDW values in the diagnosis of BISAP Score (≥3), exitus, severe pancreatitis and pancreatitis with complication were analysed by means of Receiver Operating Characteristic Curve (ROC) analysis. p<0,05 was considered statistically significant. The mean age of the subjects was 59,7 ± 18,0 years. Area under curve (AUC) in ROC analysis conducted for RDW in patients with BISAP score≥ 3 was 0,649 (95% Cl 0,576-0,722) and p <0,001. For developed complications, AUC for RDW was 0,558 (95% Cl 0,454-0,662) and p was 0,243. For RDW<14,4 cut-off value; the sensitivity was 66,25%, specificity was 71,48% in the prediction of BISAP≥ 3, sensitivity was 87,5%, specificity was 65,14% in the prediction of mortality, sensitivity was 72,73%, specificity was 71,12% in the prediction of severe AP. RDW is as significant as the BISAP score in predicting the severity and mortality of pancreatitis in the patients with acute pancreatitis in the emergency department(ED). But it cannot predict the complications in AP