1/27. Bronchial mucormycosis with progressive air trapping.A previously healthy 70-year-old woman developed fever, cough, and exertional dyspnea. Her symptoms progressed over a 2-month period despite treatment by her primary care physician with 2 courses of oral antibiotics and the addition of prednisone. Hypoxemia and the finding of hyperglycemia with mild ketoacidosis led to hospital admission. Serial chest radiographs demonstrated diffuse heterogeneous pulmonary opacities and progressive air trapping in the right lower lobe. Fiberoptic bronchoscopy revealed a deep penetrating ulcer with exposed bronchial cartilage of the bronchus intermedius and dynamic airway obstruction with complete closure during expiration. biopsy of the ulcer revealed rhizopus arrhizus. Respiratory failure stabilized with the patient on conventional mechanical ventilation and receiving amphotericin b. Before surgery could be performed, pseudomonas aeruginosa pneumonia and septic shock developed, and the patient died.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = physician (Clic here for more details about this article) |
2/27. Massive hemoperitoneum due to rupture of a retroperitoneal varix.Intra-abdominal hemorrhage from ruptured varices is an unusual, life-threatening complication of portal hypertension. We present the case of a 58-year-old man with alcoholic cirrhosis who presented with increasing abdominal girth, hypovolemic shock, and profound anemia due to rupture of a retroperitoneal varix into the peritoneal cavity. The clinical presentation of this rare problem is remarkably consistent among published reports. Early recognition may help the treating physician reduce the likelihood of a catastrophic outcome.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = physician (Clic here for more details about this article) |
3/27. Type IV renal tubular acidosis presenting as dyspnea in two older patients taking angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors.The evaluation of dyspnea most often leads to a cardiac or pulmonary diagnosis. In the elderly, however, the cause is commonly multifactorial. The emergency physician should always consider noncardiopulmonary etiologies when treating such patients. We present 2 cases of new-onset type IV renal tubular acidosis (RTA) in older patients taking lisinopril who presented to the emergency department as dyspnea. Both patients had chronic cardiopulmonary illnesses and were initially diagnosed as having either congestive heart failure, asthma exacerbations, or both. The laboratory results for RTA are specific and the diagnosis can be made in the ED.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = physician (Clic here for more details about this article) |
4/27. Clinical case of the month. chest pain, diaphoresis, and dyspnea in a hypertensive 53-year-old man.Aortic dissection is a life-threatening condition requiring urgent diagnosis and treatment. The initial challenge for the physician lies in distinguishing aortic dissection from more common conditions such as myocardial infarction that also are characterized by chest pain. Subsequent management depends on imaging techniques that define whether just the descending aorta is affected or its more proximal portions as well. mortality and morbidity are high, especially when the ascending aorta is involved.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = physician (Clic here for more details about this article) |
5/27. Toxic effects associated with consumption of zinc.A 27-year-old man with a history of acne presented to his primary care physician because of fatigue and dyspnea on exertion of 4 weeks' duration. He was remarkably pale, orthostatic pulse changes were noted, and a systolic ejection murmur was heard. The patient had profound anemia (hemoglobin concentration, 5.0 g/dL) and neutropenia (neutrophil count, 0.06 x 10(9)/L); he was admitted for further evaluation. A detailed inquiry into his medication history revealed that he was taking several vitamins and zinc gluconate, 850 to 1000 mg/d for 1 year (US recommended daily allowance, 15 mg), as therapy for acne. A zinc toxic and copper-deficient state was confirmed by laboratory studies. The patient was treated with intravenous copper sulfate, followed by 3 months of oral therapy. The complete blood cell count, serum copper level, and serum zinc level returned to normal.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = physician (Clic here for more details about this article) |
6/27. Adverse reaction characterized by chest pain, shortness of breath, and syncope associated with verteporfin (visudyne).PURPOSE: To report a serious adverse reaction associated with verteporfin infusion. DESIGN: Observational case report. methods: Case report of a single individual undergoing photodynamic therapy (PDT) with verteporfin. RESULTS: A 77-year-old man with long-standing asymptomatic atrial fibrillation, but no known coronary artery disease experienced severe chest and neck pain, shortness of breath, and syncope while undergoing a fourth photodynamic therapy (PDT) treatment with verteporfin. This infusion had been preceded by three prior infusions; the first two were uneventful, and the third was associated with milder, but similar symptoms. Evaluation demonstrated that the chest pain was noncardiac in origin. CONCLUSION: As verteporfin continues to be used around the world, physicians must be alert to the possibility of serious adverse side effects associated with its use.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = physician (Clic here for more details about this article) |
7/27. Exacerbation of pulmonary lymphangioleiomyomatosis by exogenous oestrogen used for infertility treatment.Pulmonary lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM) is a rare disease that affects women in the reproductive years. It is occasionally associated with tuberous sclerosis, especially in the incomplete form. As it is likely that oestrogen plays a central role in disease progression, exogenous oestrogen will cause a deterioration in LAM. However, the early stage of this disease is easy to miss unless the physician is a specialist. Although there have been some reports in menopausal women given exogenous oestrogen for osteoporosis, this is the first report of pulmonary LAM caused by exogenous oestrogen used for the treatment of infertility.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = physician (Clic here for more details about this article) |
8/27. Early detection of cardiac disease masquerading as acute bronchospasm: The role of bedside limited echocardiography by the emergency physician.We report two cases in which the patients experienced dyspnea, cough, and acute bronchospasm. Pulmonary pathology was initially suspected. Failure to respond to an initial trial of inhaled bronchodilator prompted the use of bedside limited echocardiography by the emergency physician. The potential role of limited echocardiography by the emergency physician as a triage tool in facilitating early diagnosis and emergent therapy, reducing time to final discharge, and enhancing interaction between the pediatric emergency physician and cardiology consultants is highlighted.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 7keywords = physician (Clic here for more details about this article) |
9/27. Current practice in pulmonary function testing.More than 30 million Americans have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma, with internists, pediatricians, and family physicians providing most of their medical care. Recent management guidelines for asthma and COPD recommend regular use of spirometry for the diagnosis and management of these disorders. Because of the development of easy-to-use office-based spirometers, an increasing number of physicians have ready access to spirometry. Beyond simple spirometry, various tests are available from many pulmonary function laboratories for more detailed evaluation of patients with respiratory disorders. For these reasons, all physicians who care for patients with pulmonary disease must understand basic pulmonary function testing and have a fundamental understanding of more sophisticated tests. A series of performance standards has been developed for improved accuracy and precision of pulmonary function tests. physicians responsible for administering and interpreting pulmonary function tests, even simple spirometry, must be aware of relevant guidelines. This concise review addresses current indications for pulmonary function testing, provides an overview of the studies commonly available in modern pulmonary function laboratories, and includes comments on basic interpretation and testing standards.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 3keywords = physician (Clic here for more details about this article) |
10/27. High-altitude decompression illness: case report and discussion.decompression illness (DCI) can occur in a variety of contexts, including scuba diving and flight in nonpressurized aircraft. It is characterized by joint pain, neurologic injury, and respiratory or constitutional symptoms. To prepare flight crews for accidental decompression events, the Canadian Armed Forces regularly conducts controlled and supervised depressurization exercises in specialized chambers. We present the cases of 3 Canadian Armed Forces personnel who successfully completed such decompression exercises but experienced DCI after they took a 3-hour commercial flight 6 hours after the completion of training. All 3 patients were treated in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber. The pathophysiology, diagnosis and management of DCI and the travel implications for military personnel who have undergone such training exercises are discussed. Although DCI is relatively uncommon, physicians may see it and should be aware of its presentation and treatment.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = physician (Clic here for more details about this article) |
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