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Husted Mohamed posted an update 10 hours, 47 minutes ago
Air could be identified on x-ray in this patient due to presence of massive ascites in his abdominal cavity. Recognizing radiographic patterns that suggest pneumoperitoneum on supine plain radiographs could expedite the diagnostic process and surgical intervention.Chiari I malformation is a common entity in pediatric neurosurgery. Prior studies have shown that surgical treatment at children’s hospitals (CH) is associated with higher costs compared to non-children’s hospitals (NCH) for other diagnoses. Therefore, we hypothesized that costs would be increased for the treatment of Chiari I malformation at a CH. Data were extracted from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality’s (AHRQ) Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) Kids’ Inpatient Database (KID). Patients who underwent surgery for Chiari I malformation were identified using International Classification of Diseases, 9th Edition, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) diagnosis and procedure codes. Univariate statistical tests, multivariable linear regression models, and propensity score matching were utilized to determine differences in hospital length of stay (LOS) and costs between patients treated at CH versus NCH. Treatment at a CH was associated with significantly higher costs compared to treatment at an NCH while hospital LOS and mortality were similar. In the multivariable linear regression model, the adjusted average cost for surgical treatment of Chiari I malformation was $13,716, and treatment at a CH was associated with an additional $6,343 (p less then 0.0001). Similar results were seen after propensity score matching costs for treatment at a CH were $6,047 higher than they were for treatment at an NCH (p less then 0.0001). In our analysis, a significant increase in cost was seen with treatment at a CH while controlling for patient demographics and hospital characteristics, as well as imbalanced covariates between the cohorts. Further investigation is warranted to determine the drivers of increased cost outside of the patient and hospital characteristics we analyzed in our study.We present a case of a 30-year-old Hispanic male with pelvic outlet obstruction syndrome secondary to a large pelvic abscess caused by Salmonella enterica Bovismorbificans. This case demonstrates a potentially serious complication of a rare foodborne illness in the United States, in which an urgent surgical intervention was warranted. A computed tomography (CT) scan of the abdomen and pelvis demonstrated a large pelvic cystic mass causing near-total pelvic outlet obstruction of both gastrointestinal and genitourinary systems. A total of 1,250 mg of IV vancomycin and 3.375 mg of IV piperacillin-tazobactam were administered every eight hours, and an urgent decompressive transverse loop colostomy, Foley catheter placement, and percutaneous drainage were performed. Culture of the abscess fluid identified Salmonella enterica serotype Bovismorbificans, and the antibiotic regimen was changed to 1,000 mg IV ceftriaxone every 24 hours. Subsequent CT imaging displayed a reduction in abscess size. The patient was then discharged with a 14-day course of 500 mg of oral ciprofloxacin every 12 hours and 500 mg of oral metronidazole every eight hours. Imaging at three weeks post-discharge displayed resolution of the abscess, and the drain was removed. The patient had complete recovery and did well several months following treatment. While rare, Salmonella enterica serotype Bovismorbificans could potentially lead to serious complications such as giant pelvic abscess, in which a multidisciplinary team approach (i.e., medical, surgical, and interventional) is critical for a good outcome.A 47-year-old female with a past medical history of morbid obesity and hypertension presented with acute onset dizziness that started while she was at work one evening. She did not have chest pain or dyspnea. She had vital signs within an acceptable range, oxygen saturation of 98%-99%, and was not in acute distress. Examination including the Dix-Hallpike maneuver was unremarkable. Computed tomography angiography (CTA) of the head and neck disclosed bilateral pulmonary embolism without any evidence of cerebral ischemia. CTA chest confirmed the diagnosis of bilateral pulmonary emboli. Importantly, besides the obesity, the patient did not have any other risk factors of pulmonary embolism including recent immobilization, surgery, hormonal therapy or contraceptive use, and personal or family history of thromboembolic disorders. However, she was diagnosed with COVID-19 infection six months back with symptoms not requiring hospitalization. Following further workup for her dizziness and neurology evaluation, in the absence of any other plausible etiology, her presenting symptom was attributed to the atypical presentation of pulmonary embolism. She was treated with heparin in the hospital and discharged on apixaban. GX15-070 molecular weight Her symptoms had resolved at the time of discharge.The appearance of cutaneous metastases from breast carcinoma is variable and can present as nodules or inflammation of the skin, mimicking benign skin conditions. In addition, the skin lesions may be the initial presentation of unsuspected visceral malignancy or the site of either persistence or recurrence of metastatic disease in an oncology patient with a history of a solid tumor. The features of a woman with metastatic breast cancer that presented as a nodule that was masked by her concurrent, new-onset, hidradenitis suppurativa are reported. The diagnosis was suspected when the skin nodule persisted after her hidradenitis suppurativa improved; the diagnosis of cutaneous metastasis was confirmed with a skin biopsy. Occult breast cancer (primary or recurrent disease) may be masked by an inflammatory condition, such as hidradenitis suppurativa. Therefore, if a primary dermatologic condition does not appropriately respond to therapy, pathologic evaluation may be warranted to exclude the possibility of another disease, such as cutaneous metastases from underlying visceral cancer.Background Limited data about arrhythmias in neonates and infants are coming out from the Middle East. Objectives To evaluate different types of arrhythmias in neonates and infants at the American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC), a tertiary care center in Lebanon, with the focus on the nature of arrhythmia, treatment modalities and relation to surgery. Methods Data were collected retrospectively from the hospital records. We included all neonates and infants presenting to AUBMC between 2013 and 2017. Collected data included the type of arrhythmia, the treatment modality used and its success, the need for additional modes of treatment, the relationship to congenital heart diseases, and the cardiac surgeries performed. Results Of 16,346 subjects admitted to AUBMC between 2013 and 2017, 90 subjects developed arrhythmias that required medical intervention. The most frequent types of arrhythmias were supraventricular tachycardia (62.22%), junctional ectopic tachycardia (13.33%), complete heart block (7.