Complications of needle thoracostomy: A comprehensive clinical review.

Needle thoracostomy (NT) is a valuable adjunct in the management of tension pneumothorax (tPTX), a life-threatening condition encountered mainly in trauma and critical care environments. Most commonly, needle thoracostomies are used in the prehospital setting and during acute trauma resuscitation to temporize the affected individuals prior to the placement of definitive tube thoracostomy (TT). Because it is both an invasive and emergent maneuver, NT can be associated with a number of potential complications, some of which may be life-threatening.

The cardiomyopathy of iron deficiency.

Iron-deficiency anemia can have deleterious effects on the heart. Herein, we describe the effects of iron deficiency on the heart as corroborated with electrocardiography, radiology, echocardiography, and cardiac catheterization. We review the pathophysiology, clinical features, and management of iron-deficiency-induced cardiomyopathy.

Infliximab-induced headache and infliximab-induced meningitis: two ends of the same spectrum?

This report describes a case of aseptic meningitis induced by the tumor necrosis factor-alpha inhibitor infliximab. The patient, a 51-year-old female, was being treated for Crohn's disease. After an infliximab infusion, she had headache, fever, arthralgia, myalgia, and meningismus.

Bacterial Pyomyositis.

Bacterial pyomyositis has been defined as a subacute, deep bacterial infection of the soft tissues. The entity was originally described only in tropical climates, but it is increasing in incidence in temperate climates, such as in the United States. This is mainly attributed to the presence of immunocompromising states such as HIV/AIDS or liver disease.

Persistently positive culture results in a patient with community-acquired pneumonia due to Legionella pneumophila.

We describe a patient with community-acquired pneumonia due to Legionella pneumophila serogroup 6. This patient was found to have bronchoalveolar carcinoma of the lung by means of cytologic testing in 1 of 2 bronchoalveolar lavage samples, but no lesions were visible on bronchoscopy. Despite intravenous administration of azithromycin to the patient, repeat culture and polymerase chain reaction showed persistence of Legionella; the isolates remained susceptible to azithromycin.