Subcutaneous emphysema (SE) and pneumomediastinum are rare complications of air beneath the skin layers and in the mediastinal space, respectively, following routine dental procedures. A few cases exist in the literature. A 53-year-old female presented to the emergency department shortly after a cavity filling, with marked swelling of her right orbit, face, and neck.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFacial nerve palsy is a common neurological disorder, and the etiology is categorized as either congenital or acquired. Even after extensive workup, a vast majority of cases are deemed idiopathic. Treatment of acquired facial nerve palsy in pediatrics is essential to prevent long-term aesthetic and functional complications.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAppendicitis is an exceedingly uncommon diagnosis in infancy and, thus, is typically not considered a differential diagnosis for this population. Its atypical presentation, with a wide range of clinical manifestations, creates a diagnostic challenge for physicians. Along with this, a patient's inability to articulate their pain adds another layer of diagnostic challenge.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBone pain in pediatric patients is exceedingly common, with etiologies ranging from benign lesions such as fibrous dysplasia and enchondromas to potentially devastating, life-threatening malignancies such as Ewing's sarcoma or osteosarcoma. Given the low yield of physical examination and routine laboratory workup, pediatric patients with bone pain or an inability to ambulate warrant further workup. The initial workup should consist of imaging with radiography.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFailure to thrive (FTT) is a term commonly used to characterize slower-than-expected weight gain. While inadequate caloric intake is the predominant cause, failure to thrive is a manifestation of undernutrition often resulting from the interplay of multiple etiologies. This case highlights the diagnosis and management of an infant who presented with recurrent large-volume emesis and poor weight gain secondary to esophageal compression from an aberrant right subclavian artery (ARSA).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCongenital lobar overinflation, also known as congenital lobar emphysema (CLE), is an uncommon (1/20,000-30,000 live births) abnormality characterized by hyperinflation of one or more pulmonary lobes, usually with contralateral displacement of the mediastinum. While the etiology of most cases of CLE is poorly understood and labeled idiopathic, some cases are thought to be due to an intrinsic or extrinsic bronchial wall abnormality causing a ball valve mechanism with resultant hyperinflation of the affected lobe. CLE tends to have a predilection for males presenting insidiously in the first 6 months of life and have respiratory distress and progressive failure, with 50% of cases being asymptomatic at birth.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFailure to thrive in the setting of profound hypotonia and multiple electrolyte derangements is a challenging constellation of findings that offers a broad differential diagnosis for providers to consider. Initial management should focus on the stabilization of the patient and correction of potential life-threatening electrolyte derangements. Once completed, the diagnosis should be sought, and in this case, many were considered and ultimately ruled out with thorough history and physical examination.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFA 15-year-old female patient was initially transferred due to symptomatic anemia following months of menorrhagia, fatigue, dyspnea, and weight loss. Early during her hospital course, pulmonary complications occurred with the development of respiratory failure secondary to bilateral pleural effusions. She was managed with bi-level pressure support ventilation alternating with a high-flow nasal cannula.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFClitoromegaly is the abnormal enlargement of the clitoris. Its etiology is often divided into congenital and acquired causes, leading to a differential diagnosis that is quite broad. Workup often includes serum hormone testing, imaging studies, and sometimes an investigation into genetic and nonhormonal causes, which can be obtained from a detailed patient history.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMacrophage activation syndrome (MAS) as the initial presentation of systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (sJIA) is an uncommon and difficult diagnosis to ascertain. However, it remains critical to establish the diagnosis since MAS is a potentially life-threatening systemic inflammatory condition. Prompt recognition can lead to early initiation of treatment with corticosteroids and overall improved outcomes.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPneumothorax as a sequela of vaping is a relatively recent complication being described in the literature. Smoking has classically been associated with an increased risk of pneumothorax, and emerging evidence is showing that electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) likely carry some of the same risks. Since e-cigarettes increased in popularity, especially among the adolescent population, there has been a reported increased incidence of lung injury, including pneumothorax.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFis a gram-negative rod initially isolated from condensation at the Russian Mir space station. In the literature, there are few cases of human isolates that have been identified, with only one prior case of urinary tract infection (UTI). Here we report a case of a patient with a chronic suprapubic catheter that was found to have UTI with fistulization between the bladder and pubic symphysis, leading to osteomyelitis and surrounding pyomyositis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAcute ischemic stroke (AIS) is a significant source of morbidity and mortality and is one of the top causes of death in the United States. Of these patients, most are elderly individuals, compared to a limited proportion of cases seen in pediatrics. AIS is classically associated with age-dependent atherosclerotic disease processes secondary to comorbidities such as diabetes and hypertension.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTechnetium-99 pyrophosphate scintigraphy (99mTc-PYP) provides qualitative and semiquantitative diagnosis of ATTR cardiac amyloidosis (ATTR-CA) using the Perugini scoring system and heart/contralateral heart ratio (H/CL) on planar imaging. Standardized uptake values (SUV) with quantitative single photon emission computed tomography (xSPECT/CT) can offer superior diagnostic accuracy and quantification through precise myocardial contouring that enhances assessment of ATTR-CA burden. We examined the correlation of xSPECT/CT SUVs with Perugini score and H/CL ratio.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAcalvaria is a rare cranial vault defect characterized by the presence of the cerebellum and cerebral cortex with the absence of the calvarium above the orbits, intact facial structures, and the presence of dura mater. Unfortunately, this diagnosis comes with a dim prognosis that is not compatible with life long-term. First-trimester diagnosis with ultrasonography can establish the diagnosis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Ibrutinib is a Bruton's tyrosine kinase inhibitor used in the treatment of hematological malignancies. The most common cardiotoxicity associated with ibrutinib is atrial arrhythmia (atrial fibrillation and flutter). It is known that patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD) are at an increased risk for developing atrial arrhythmia.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDespite its popularity, the direct anterior approach for hip arthroplasty is not without complications. Intraoperative femoral shaft perforation using this approach ranges from 0.8% to 7%.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCancer cells exist in a state of Darwinian selection using mechanisms that produce changes in gene expression through genetic and epigenetic alteration to facilitate their survival. Cellular plasticity, or the ability to alter cellular phenotype, can assist in survival of premalignant cells as they progress to full malignancy by providing another mechanism of adaptation. The connection between cellular stress and the progression of cancer has been established, although the details of the mechanisms have yet to be fully elucidated.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF