A rare cause of acute abdomen: radiotherapy-induced bladder rupture

Introduction: Spontaneous intraperitoneal rupture of the bladder, which is rare, is a life-threatening condition. In emergency services, when patients present with lower quadrant abdominal pain and acute renal failure in the patient's laboratory findings consistent with curriculum vitae should be suspected if there is a history of radiotherapy. A cystography is the most accurate and precise method to make a diagnosis. The definitive solution is surgery, which depends on the condition of the patient.Case Report: A 52-years-old female patient with diffuse abdominal pain applied to our emergency department with complaints of high fever and hematuria. The fact that operated from cervical cancer medical history and undergone radiotherapy was learned. A physical examination of the abdomen and midline defects detected a urine-like liquid coming from the defect. Cystography was also performed because of being macroscopic hematuria to patient, and bladder rupture was detected.Conclusion: The aim of this phenomenon in our presentation. If patients who present to the emergency department with acute renal failure and peritonitis with a medical history of radiotherapy have a history of pelvic radiotherapy in the curriculum vitae with acute renal failure and peritonitis emergency signs, spontaneous rupture of the bladder is to emphasize that occur years after radiation therapy should be considered

A comparison of dexmedetomidine, moxonidine and alpha-methyldopa effects on acute, lethal cocaine toxicity

Background: The treatment of cocaine toxicity is an important subject for emergency physicians. We investigated the effects of dexmedetomidine, moxonidine and alpha-methyldopa on acute cocaine toxicity in mice. Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of dexmedetomidine, moxonidine and alpha-methyldopa in a mouse model of acute cocaine toxicity. Materials and Methods: We performed an experiment consisting of four groups (n = 25 each). The first group received normal saline solution, the second group received 40 μg/kg of dexmedetomidine, the third group received 0.1 mg/kg of moxonidine and the fourth group received 200 mg/kg of alpha-methyldopa, all of which were intraperitoneally administered 10 minutes before cocaine hydrochloride (105 mg/kg). All animals were observed for seizures (popcorn jumping, tonic-clonic activity, or a loss of the righting reflex) and lethality over the 30 minutes following cocaine treatment. Results: The ratio of animals with convulsions was lower in all treated groups when compared to the control (P 0.05). In addition, the time to lethality was also longer in the same group (P < 0.001). Conclusions: The present study provides the first experimental evidence in support of dexmedetomidine treatment for cocaine-induced seizures. Premedication with dexmedetomidine reduces seizure activity in a mouse model of acute cocaine toxicity. In addition, while dexmedetomidine may be effective, moxonidine and alpha-methyldopa did not effectively prevent cocaine-induced lethality. © 2015, Iranian Red Crescent Medical Journal

Assessment of cardiac ultrasonography in predicting outcome in adult cardiac arrest

Objective: A prospective follow-up study to evaluate the ability of cardiac ultrasonography performed by emergency physicians to predict resuscitation outcome in adult cardiac arrest patients. METHODS: Ultrasonographic examination of the subxiphoid cardiac area was made immediately on presentation to the emergency department with pulseless cardiac arrest. Sonographic cardiac activity was defined as any detected motion within the heart including the atria, ventricles or valves. Successful resuscitation was defined as any of: return of spontaneous circulation for ≥ 20 min; return of breathing; palpable pulse; measurable blood pressure. RESULTS: The study enrolled 149 patients over an 18-month period. The presence of sonographic cardiac activity at the beginning of resuscitation was significantly associated with a successful outcome (19/27 [70.4%] versus 55/122 [45.1%] patients without cardiac activity at the beginning of resuscitation). CONCLUSIONS: Ultrasono -graphic detection of cardiac activity may be useful in determining prognosis during cardiac arrest. Further studies are needed to elucidate the predictive value of ultrasonography in cardiac arrest patients. © 2012 Field House Publishing LLP

Frequency of skeletal chest injuries associated with cardiopulmonary resuscitation: forensic autopsy

BACKGROUND: Fractured ribs and sternum are frequent complications of thoracic compression during CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) in adults. This study was conducted to determine the incidence of rib and sternal fractures after conventional closed-chest compression in the treatment of cardiac arrest. METHODS: We reviewed the forensic autopsy findings of 231 deaths referred to the Pamukkale University Department of Forensic Medicine over a 12-month period, 2004-2005. CPR-related chest injuries comprising rib and sternum fractures, ecchymosis and subcostal hemorrhage were compared retrospectively in 104 patients. RESULTS: Ninety-one (87.5%) of the 104 patients were adults, and 13 patients (12.5%) were children. The mean (SD) age in the pediatric group (5F/8M) was 5.48 (±5.96) and in the adult group (18F/73M) was 44.88 (±18.31). Forty-four (42.3%) of the 104 patients died of traumatic cause and 60 (57.7%) of non-traumatic cause. Ecchymosis was present in 26 (28.8%) patients, subcostal hemorrhage in 16 (17.6%) patients and fractures (sternal and costal) in 12 (13.2%) patients in adults. There were no significant differences between groups according to age, sex and traumatic-nontraumatic cause in terms of skeletal chest injuries associated with CPR in adult patients (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: This study shows a low incidence of rib and sternal fracture after closed-chest compression in the treatment of cardiac arrest in forensic autopsy cases

Multi-detector angio-CT and the use of D-dimer for the diagnosis of acute mesenteric ischemia in geriatric patients

Background: There is no specific laboratory method for the diagnosis of acute mesenteric ischemia (AMI). In this study, we aimed to determine the efficacy of the D-dimer test in selected cases prior to multi-detector angio-CT, which is expensive and has side effects.Methods: Patients, over 65, with abdominal pain were included in this study. The D-dimer test was applied to 230 (34%) of 676 abdominal pain patients admitted to our emergency service. The D-dimer levels of the patients diagnosed with AMI by angio-CT were compared.Results: In AMI patients sensitivity of the D-dimer test was 84.6% and the specificity was 47.9%. Elevated D-dimer levels and AF were observed in 90.9% of the patients diagnosed with AMI by CT.Conclusion: D-dimer levels were elevated in the AMI patients. Patients suspected of having AMI with unclear clinical results and patients with D-dimer levels above 1000 ng/ml and AF should undergo further evaluation. © 2014, TJTES

Assessment of the relation of violence and burnout among physicians working in the emergency departments in Turkey

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: Violence and burnout are frequently seen among medical doctors; however, the relation is not clear. This study aimed to assess the violence and its possible effects on burnout in physicians working in emergency units

Diagnostic work-up of patients with suspected pulmonary embolism: A survey of strategies used by emergency physicians

PURPOSE: In this study, we aimed to document imaging practices and diagnostic strategies used by emergency physicians in patients with suspected high-probability pulmonary embolism (PE). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A questionnaire investigating the diagnostic strategies used by the emergency physicians in the evaluation of venous thromboembolism was mailed electronically to all emergency department residents and specialists practicing in 62 medical institutions in Turkey. The questionnaire gathered information about the availability and frequency of use of diagnostic imaging modalities in different scenarios in patients with suspected high-probability PE. RESULTS: Echocardiography, helical computed tomography (CT), and D-dimer test were the most available tools around the clock with a frequency of use of 78%, 73%, and 67%, respectively. One hundred and nineteen of 176 respondents (68%) reported that they request D-dimer "invariably" before performing an imaging examination in patients with suspected highprobability PE (SHPPE). Before ordering advanced imaging, 136 EPs (77%) would always obtain chest radiographs. Fifty-four residents (55%) and 39 specialists (51%) indicated that CTPA would likely be the first examination for patients with SHPPE and with signs of deep venous thrombosis (DVT) (P = 0.8). The most frequently selected examination for patients with SHPPE and without signs of DVT was CTPA, reported by 69 of the residents (70%) and 53 of the specialists (69%) (P = 0.9). CONCLUSION: This survey did not show significant variations either in the practices and policies used by emergency physicians, or in the methodological approaches between specialists and residents. Among the imaging modalities, CTPA was the tool most preferred by physicians for patients with suspected acute PE. © Turkish Society of Radiology 2009

Assessment of propofol, midazolam and ziprasidone, or the combinations for the prevention of acute cocaine toxicity in a mouse model

Study objective: To evaluate the effects of pretreatment, midazolam (M), propofol (P), ziprasidone (Z), and two combinations of [(midazolam plus propofol (MP); midazolam plus ziprasidone (MZ)] in mice models in the prevention of seizures, and death due to acute cocaine toxicity. Methods: 180 male CF-1 mice were randomized to 6 groups (30/group) in this experimental study. The animals were administered intraperitoneal injections of M (2. mg/kg), P (25. mg/kg), Z (4. mg/kg), MP (2. mg/kg and 25. mg/kg) and MZ (2. mg/kg and 4. mg/kg) or saline (S) as a pretreatment 10. min later, the mice were administered intraperitoneal injections of 105. mg/kg cocaine. The groups were observed for cocaine-induced seizure and lethality. Results: The MP and MZ combinations showed the highest protective effect in terms of seizure and lethality relative to P and S (p. 0.05). No death was observed in the MP combination group. Seizure rate was observed o be least in the MZ group with respect to the other groups. Conclusion: According to our particular mouse model, this study suggests that MP and MZ combinations may be more effective than M or Z only for the prevention of cocaine-induced seizure and lethality. However, P alone does not prevent cocaine-induced seizure and lethality. © 2012 Elsevier B.V

Public Health Rep

A communitywide outbreak of hepatitis A occurred in Portland, OR, from 1983 through 1986. At the peak of the outbreak, the age- and sex-specific annual incidence rate approached 400 cases per 100,000 population among men ages 25 to 34, the highest risk group. The community incidence rate was nearly 10 times the relevant national incidence rate. A review of the records concerning cases of hepatitis A reported in the last 6 months of 1985 revealed that about half the number of young adults whose cases were investigated during that time reported a history of intravenous (IV) drug use--a proportion about 50 times greater than expected among persons in that age range. A simultaneous epidemic of overdose deaths from heroin and a concomitant increase in hepatitis B incidence rates led to the suspicion that this was a drug-abuse-associated epidemic of hepatitis among new IV drug users. Control of this outbreak was difficult because the population most at risk was distrustful of public health officials. Increased surveillance in food service establishments and schools might have prevented outbreaks from a common source in the general population; however, an increase of sporadic cases in the nondrug-using population clearly occurred.3140269PMCnul