1/19. Desensitization of the gag reflex in an adult with cerebral palsy: a case report.Severe oral hypersensitivity and aversive oral behaviors present a significant barrier to dental treatment and compromise oral health status. Although several authors have addressed the reduction of oral hypersensitivity and aversive behaviors (such as gagging, retching, and vomiting) in the otherwise well dental patient, treatment for patients with severe disability has not been explored. The successful management of oral hypersensitivity and aversive behavior can have significant health benefits. These can be described via an outcomes paradigm as physical and social benefits for the patient, psychological benefits for the patient, carer, and practitioner, and organizational benefits for the institutions providing dental care and medical management. This paper summarizes the management of a severely disabled patient whose aversive behaviors were eliminated with non-invasive therapy techniques. oral hygiene was facilitated and health benefits were identified across a number of domains following successful multi-disciplinary management.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = physical (Clic here for more details about this article) |
2/19. Abdominal cancer, nausea, and vomiting.nausea and vomiting in abdominal cancer is perhaps one of the most difficult symptom complexes to manage, especially when complicated by bowel obstruction. There are many mechanisms of nausea in advanced abdominal cancer with a number of therapeutic interventions that can significantly enhance symptom control and overall quality of life. As with pain, the ideal approach should include a mechanistic analysis of the causes of nausea beginning with a thorough history, followed by a directed physical examination, and selected laboratory studies. The symptom history, in conjunction with a physical examination and directed tests should direct appropriate pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic interventions. The result is often the amelioration of significant suffering and enhanced quality of living.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 8.791206870697keywords = physical examination, physical (Clic here for more details about this article) |
3/19. The iowa follow-up of chemically sensitive persons.Clinical symptoms and self-reported health status in persons reporting multiple chemical sensitivities (MCS) are presented from a 9-year follow-up study. Eighteen (69%) subjects from a sample of 26 persons originally interviewed in 1988 were followed up in 1997 and given structured interviews and self-report questionnaires. In terms of psychiatric diagnosis, 15 (83%) met DSM-IV criteria for a lifetime mood disorder, 10 (56%) for a lifetime anxiety disorder, and 10 (56%) for a lifetime somatoform disorder. Seven (39%) of subjects met criteria for a personality disorder using the Personality Diagnostic Questionnaire-IV. Self-report data from the illness behavior Questionnaire and Symptom checklist-90-Revised show little change from 1988. The 10 most frequent complaints attributed to MCS were headache, memory loss, forgetfulness, sore throat, joint aches, trouble thinking, shortness of breath, back pain, muscle aches, and nausea. Global assessment showed that 2 (11%) had "remitted", 8 (45%) were "much" or "very much" improved, 6 (33%) were "improved", and 2 (11%) were "unchanged/worse". Mean scores on the SF-36 health survey showed that, compared to U.S. population means, subjects reported worse physical functioning, more bodily pain, worse general health, worse social functioning, and more emotional-role impairment; self-reported mental health was better than the U.S. population mean. All subjects maintained a belief that they had MCS; 16 (89%) acknowledged that the diagnosis was controversial. It is concluded that the subjects remain strongly committed to their diagnosis of MCS. Most have improved since their original interview, but many remain symptomatic and continue to report ongoing lifestyle changes.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = physical (Clic here for more details about this article) |
4/19. Intractable vomiting in diabetic patients.Intractable nausea and vomiting have been described in individuals without any underlying physical etiology explaining these complaints. Physical or emotional abuse has been described in individuals suffering from these symptoms and associated with somatoform disorders manifesting primarily as gastrointestinal complaints. We present five patients with long-standing Type 1 diabetes who suffered from intractable vomiting. personality disorders, profound depression and emotional abuse dramatically influenced the course of these patients' illness. In most of the patients, physical symptoms remarkably improved after identification and removal of the triggering factors. Therefore, psychogenic vomiting must be considered among the differential diagnoses of intractable nausea and vomiting, especially in individuals with chronic illnesses. A careful search for a physical etiology and medical treatment that does not cause relief of symptoms should suggest that there is almost certainly a psychological issue at the root of the problem.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 3keywords = physical (Clic here for more details about this article) |
5/19. A novel case of a CAT to AAT transversion in codon 179 of the p53 gene in a supratentorial primitive neuroectodermal tumor harbored by a young girl. Case report and review of the literature.BACKGROUND: The most common cytogenetic abnormality encountered in primitive neuroectodermal tumors (PNET)/medulloblastoma is loss of heterozygosity in the region of the short arm of chromosome 17. There is some evidence that supratentorial PNET has different cytogenetic markers than infratentorial PNET/medulloblastoma. Particularly, loss of 17p is more frequent in the latter than in the former. We describe a young girl diagnosed with supratentorial PNET (SPNET). Analysis of the tumor suppressor gene p53 in the tumorous tissue revealed a rare transversion mutational event of CAT to AAT in position 179 of exon 5. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of such a transversion at codon 179 in the p53 gene in SPNET. CASE REPORT: A 12-year-old girl was admitted with nausea, headache and vision disturbances. MRI of the brain showed a large space- occupying lesion in the right frontal lobe. Histological examination of the macroscopic resection of the tumor revealed PNET of the brain. polymerase chain reaction-single strand conformation polymorphism analysis of all p53 exons was performed, and a unique variant of a transversion at codon 179 of exon 5 was revealed. Therapy was started according to the Children's Cancer group protocol (CCG-99702) designated for treatment of high-risk central nervous system embryonal tumors. She received an initial course of chemotherapy, consisting of cyclophosphamide and vincristine for mobilizing and harvesting peripheral blood stem cells (PBSCs). Then she was given craniospinal irradiation (3,600 cGy) with a boost to the tumor bed (1,980 cGy) and three consecutive courses of high-dose chemotherapy with carboplatin, vincristine and thiotepa/cyclophosphamide, with PBSCs support after each course. RESULTS: The patient is in complete remission 17 months after diagnosis, based on the results of physical examination and imaging studies. DISCUSSION: The mutation results in an alteration of the amino acid HIS to ASN. The amino acids surrounding position 175 play an important role in stabilizing the p53/dna complex. There are only 12 known mutations of the reported type, and the finding of such a rare mutational event in a low-incidence p53 mutation tumor, such as SPNET, might add additional insight into the p53-SPNET relationship in tumorigenesis. Although not widely accepted, it is possible that different mutations of the p53 gene in patients with brain tumors may imply a different ultimate prognosis. In our case, we cannot exclude the fact that transversion of CAT to AAT in position 179 of exon 5 may explain prolonged survival of a patient with good response to therapy.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 4.3956034353485keywords = physical examination, physical (Clic here for more details about this article) |
6/19. Spontaneous retroperitoneal hemorrhage localized by blood pool scintigraphy.A healthy 17-year-old girl presented to the emergency department with a 1-day history of left upper quadrant abdominal pain associated with nausea and vomiting. Her hematocrit was 22. On physical examination, she had left upper quadrant fullness and tenderness. Initial computed tomography revealed a large, loculated, left-sided retroperitoneal hematoma. Blood pool scintigraphy with labeled red cells revealed a very large photon-deficient area with 3 areas of active bleeding in the upper margin of the cold area. An angiogram showed active extravasation from the left inferior phrenic artery. The patient was felt to have had spontaneous adrenal hemorrhage, likely within a preexisting, large adrenal cyst. Spontaneous hemorrhage into an adrenal cyst is a rare entity that can be life-threatening if not treated early in its course.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 4.3956034353485keywords = physical examination, physical (Clic here for more details about this article) |
7/19. Spontaneous rupture of adrenal pheochromocytoma with capsular invasion.A 67-year-old Japanese man developed a sudden onset of severe right-side upper abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting. On hospitalization, physical examination revealed sweating, tachycardia, hypertension and the appearance of peripheral vasoconstriction. An urgent computed tomography scan with contrast demonstrated a large hematoma in the right retroperitoneal space. A phentolamine test and an 131iodine metaiodobenzylguanidine scan suggested pheochromocytoma. An elective right adrenalectomy was successfully performed after pretreatment for sufficient volume replacement with continuous administration of alpha- and beta-adrenergic blocking agents. Pathological diagnosis was an adrenal pheochromocytoma 9.0 x 6.5 cm in diameter with evidence of capsular invasion, which could be associated with a tear in the capsule.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 4.3956034353485keywords = physical examination, physical (Clic here for more details about this article) |
8/19. The electrocardiographic toxidrome: the ECG presentation of hydrofluoric acid ingestion.The clinician can approach the poisoned patient using the toxidrome system of toxin identification; this approach makes use of findings noted on the physical examination, highlighting the importance of abnormalities in blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory effort, body temperature, mental status, pupillary size, skin color, diaphoresis, and gastrointestinal sounds. Such a method provides structure and guidance to the clinical evaluation, providing the clinician with rapid diagnostic information and suggesting urgent management issues. A case of hydrofluoric acid poisoning is used as an example of this diagnostic approach. The patient demonstrated systemic toxicity accompanied by oral irritation and electrocardiographic abnormality (QRS complex widening and QT interval prolongation). The constellation of these findings suggested the possibility of a caustic agent (history and examination) with potential effect on potassium and calcium metabolism (electrocardiographic abnormalities). Such a constellation strongly suggested hydrofluoric acid as the culprit toxin.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 4.3956034353485keywords = physical examination, physical (Clic here for more details about this article) |
9/19. U.S. navy diver/aviator/skydiver with AGE from a previously unknown PFO.A 32 year old US Naval aerospace physiologist with dive, jump and flight qualifications presented to a US Navy hyperbaric medicine department complaining of nausea, unsteadiness and left hand and forearm paresthesia that began almost immediately after completing a 28ft/ 40min recreational dive. Following an abbreviated history and physical examination the patient was diagnosed to be suffering from an arterial gas embolism. He was treated with hyperbaric therapy during which his symptoms resolved. Follow-on transesophageal echocardiography revealed an atrial septal aneurysm with a patent foramen ovale resulting in a right-to-left shunt after valsalva maneuver, but no evidence of ventricular dysfunction, wall motion abnormalities, or abnormal ejection. His episode was attributed to paradoxical air embolism and he was disqualified from further special duty. In order to regain his dive, jump and flight qualifications, the patient elected to undergo repair of the cardiac defect with a device that is relatively new in the operational military setting. The procedure was a success, he was granted waivers for his prior qualifications, and remains in that status to this day. This is the first known case where an atrial septal occluder has been used to preserve these special duty qualifications.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 4.3956034353485keywords = physical examination, physical (Clic here for more details about this article) |
10/19. Not your "typical patient": cryptococcal meningitis in an immunocompetent patient.meningitis, when caused by the fungal mycoses cryptococcus neoformans, is normally seen in immuno-compromised hosts. However, immunocompetent patients are also susceptible to cryptococcal meningitis (CM). In patients with an intact immune system, CM usually presents with the typical signs and symptoms of meningitis: fever, stiff neck, and headache. Major implications for the primary and advanced practice nursing plans of care for CM patients include a thorough history and physical exam, early diagnosis and treatment, and an individualized plan of care focused on minimizing sequelae and side effects of treatment and maximizing functional recovery.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = physical (Clic here for more details about this article) |
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