Acute Respiratory Failure Due to Inaugural Myasthenia Crisis.

Myasthenia gravis is a rare disease that can lead to a serious condition known as myasthenic crisis (MC). The diagnosis of MC is clinical and relies on the presence of typical symptoms that can be absent, emphasizing the importance of attracting the attention of emergency physicians to this rare cause of respiratory failure. We present the case of a 66-year-old woman presenting to the emergency department with a history of recent muscle fatigue and dehydration who developed acute respiratory failure requiring mechanical ventilation.

Life-Saving Emergency Adrenalectomy in a Pheochromocytoma Crisis with Cardiogenic Shock.

Cardiogenic shock during a pheochromocytoma crisis is a life-threatening disorder. This case report illustrates a 49-year-old male with profound cardiogenic shock, extreme hemodynamic instability (systolic blood pressure ranging from 45 up to 290 mmHg in a cyclic pattern), and progressive multiple organ failure in the presence of a unilateral adrenal mass. Emergency adrenalectomy led to rapid hemodynamic stabilization.

Does offering pricing information to resident physicians in the emergency department potentially reduce laboratory and radiology costs?

Objectives: The aim of this study was to establish whether price list information could reduce laboratory and radiological examination costs in emergency departments (EDs).

Materials And Methods: A prospective survey of adult (>16 years old) admissions was conducted at the ED of a university hospital in Belgium. Nine resident emergency physicians were followed for a span of 6 months, which was divided into 2-month periods: control (October and November 2011), intervention (December 2011 to January 2012), and washout (February and March 2012).

How aware are Belgian permanent and resident emergency physicians of common medical costs and radiation doses?

Objectives: To establish how aware Belgian emergency physicians are of common treatment costs and radiation doses.

Materials And Methods: Using a questionnaire survey on a voluntary basis, 60 emergency physicians from four universities and four district hospitals were asked to estimate treatment costs and radiation doses involved in the management of a patient with pulmonary embolism. The responses of permanent and resident physicians were then compared with actual data defined by the Belgian legislation.