Karen O'Brien, DO

What's the Diagnosis? By Dr. Karen O'Brien

A 66 yo M w/ history of prior duodenal perforation s/p numerous graham patch repairs and prior endovascular aortic repair presents to the ED w/ altered mental status and hypotension w/ a SBP in 60s. He is emergently intubated. RUSH exam is done and free fluid is noted in the abdomen. His post-intubation CXR is shown below. What's the diagnosis? (scroll down for answer)

 

 

 

 

 

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Critical Cases - Cor Pulmonale Emergency!

Your nurse approaches you and says there is a new patient who arrived via EMS with shortness of breath. And his o2 sat is 65% on nasal canula. That gets you out of your chair and into the room in a hurry and you wrack your brain for the various causes of acute onset hypoxia as you enter the room (and no, it's not Covid-19!)

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Critical Cases - Heat Emergency!

EMS brings in a patient who was found down in his front lawn. They report he is dry and very hot to the touch, and has been unresponsive during transport. As you approach the resuscitation bay you quickly run down potential causes of a heat emergency and begin to think about the best way to treat this patient.....

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Critical Cases - Locked knee!

A healthy 23 yo male presents after injuring his knee playing soccer. He is complaining of inability to completely extend his knee. "It's stuck." he reports to the triage nurse. "That seems like a problem..." you think to yourself as you enter the room. How did this happen? How do I unstick his knee? Read on for some quick pearls on the "locked knee."

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Critical Cases - Epidural Abscess Emergency!

A 61 yo male presents to the ED for the second time with complaints of back pain. While the overwhelming majority of cases of back pain are benign, there are a few "can't miss" causes which will result in paralysis if not diagnosed early. You ponder these diagnoses as you make your way to the patient's room...

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