The authors present the case of a patient seen for back pain in the emergency department, initially discharged home with a diagnosis of musculoskeletal pain. He returned a week later and was found to have vertebral osteomyelitis based on a thorough neurologic exam. A review of ominous causes of back pain, including the elusive nature of vertebral osteomyelitis/diskitis is discussed.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe authors of this article report on a case of a patient who presented to the emergency department (ED) in anaphylaxis after receiving the Moderna® COVID-19 vaccine. The patient was hypoxic, with diffuse wheezing bilaterally to auscultation, flush skin, swollen face, and the feeling of her throat closing. Anaphylaxis can have wide range of presentation, the key is recognizing the symptoms and treating early.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFLightning strikes are a relatively uncommon emergency department presentation, and due to the very high energy involved, can present quite dramatically, including cardiac arrest. However, as with many chief complaints, sometimes these patients can be discharged home after a benign emergency department evaluation. We present one such case of a male who was struck to the ground by lightning outside his truck, which subsequently caught on fire.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn this report, the authors present the case of a child who sustained a specific type of mallet finger injury known as a Seymour fracture. This is an important injury to recognize in the emergency department as it is associated with significant morbidity if not treated appropriately. This is especially of concern in children, where the tissue can get trapped in the growth plate.
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