Loose Screws: Removal of Foreign Bodies From the Lower Gastrointestinal Tract.

While both the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE) and the European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ESGE) have released guidelines on the management of ingested foreign bodies in the upper gastrointestinal (GI) tract, neither has addressed indications or techniques for endoscopic removal of foreign bodies in the lower GI tract, perhaps due to the high likelihood of foreign body passage once the foreign body has reached the lower GI tract. We present the case of a 45-year-old woman presenting to the emergency department following the intentional ingestion of multiple screws and nails, complaining of acute abdominal pain and nausea. Imaging revealed four nails in the colon and two adjacent screws in the distal small bowel. In the absence of signs of acute obstruction or bowel perforation, she was admitted for expectant management but subsequently required endoscopic removal of two retained screws in the lower GI tract.

Treatment of Patients Hospitalized with COVID-19 in a US Military Role 3 Facility in Afghanistan: A Case Series.

BACKGROUND: COVID-19, caused by SARS CoV-2, is an acute respiratory viral illness. We present the experience of treating patients hospitalized with COVID-19 in a Role 3 hospital in an active warzone. METHODS: This is a retrospective care series of patients treated for COVID-19 at Craig Joint Theater Hospital, Bagram, Afghanistan from May to August 2020. Data extracted included demographics, admission and disposition information, past medical history, comorbidities, Transportation Command (TRANSCOM) severity classification (i.e. Category A, Category B), and treatments received. RESULTS: This series included 15 Category A and 55 Category B patients. Most patients were non-US contractors with one chronic condition. Most patients received medical treatments in accordance with Department of Defense Practice Management Guidelines. For Category A patients, mechanical ventilation use declined from a mean average of 10.67 days to 2.83 days following the introduction of high-flow nasal cannula. Average hospital length of stay was 6 days (range 2-23). One death occurred in a patient greater than 60 years old with three known prior medical conditions. Most patients were discharged to a non-medical isolation facility. Aeromedically evacuated patients were mostly US military and US contractors. CONCLUSION: We faced several challenges including retrofitting a Role 3 facility designed for trauma care for management of a highly contagious respiratory viral illness. Logistics constraints impacted timely delivery of medical therapies and equipment and decreased efficiency of aeromedical evacuation. Despite these challenges and the simultaneous trauma mission, most patients received medical care in accordance with treatment guidelines with a low mortality rate.

Skeletal Fluorosis: An Unusual Manifestation of Computer Cleaner Inhalant Abuse.

Skeletal fluorosis is a metabolic bone disease caused by accumulation of fluoride and is generally associated with chronic exposure to fluoride-contaminated groundwater, a phenomenon endemic to developing countries. Whereas elevated water fluoride concentrations do not constitute a public health issue in the United States, emergence of skeletal fluorosis as a sequela of chronic recreational exposures has been described. In this case report, our 33-year-old male patient with a history of major depressive disorder and substance abuse was hospitalized for hyperkalemia and acute kidney injury discovered on routine bloodwork due to concomitant nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) and antihypertensive use. Upon hospital admission, he was found to be anemic with a significantly elevated alkaline phosphatase. Given a history of low back pain in the setting of these laboratory abnormalities, lower spine and pelvic imaging revealed diffusely increased bone density and sclerosis. Hematologic evaluation ensued to include a peripheral smear and bone marrow biopsy. Given the patient's history of computer cleaner inhalant abuse, serum and urinary fluoride levels were obtained. Serum fluoride returned within normal limits though urinary fluoride was increased. Bone marrow histopathology revealed prominent diffuse sclerosis which in conjunction with urinary fluoride levels and computer cleaner inhalant abuse history supported the diagnosis of skeletal fluorosis. Skeletal fluorosis in the United States is rare and presents with non-specific findings requiring a high index of suspicion based on a detailed patient history for expedient diagnosis.

One-hour Recovery Time in Subjects Undergoing Percutaneous Liver Biopsy: A Quality Improvement and Patient Safety Project.

Introduction Liver biopsy is the gold standard in diagnosing, staging and guiding clinical management in liver disease. There are currently no standard guidelines for liver biopsy recovery time. The aims of this project are to study the safety of a one-hour recovery time after percutaneous liver biopsies and to measure the rate of complications and identify risk factors. Methods A total of 500 consecutive subjects who underwent a percutaneous liver biopsy at a single-center teaching institution (Brooke Army Medical Center) were enrolled between December 2016 and October 2018. Biopsies were performed using a 14-gauge Bard® Monopty® core biopsy needle using bedside ultrasound. Complications were defined as: Pain level > 5 out of 10, hospitalizations, emergency department visits, or other. Major complications were defined as: hospitalizations and emergency department visits. Results The only complication that required hospitalization was identified during the first hour of recovery. Liver biopsies of subjects with body mass index (BMI) ≥35 kg/m2 were not associated with more complications when compared to patients less than 30 kg/m2. Using a spinal needle (3.5'') to anesthetize the liver capsule in subjects with excess subcutaneous tissue did not result in more complications when compared to the standard 1.5'' needle. Only 3% of the patients who received lidocaine alone for the biopsy required post-procedure medications. Conclusion Ultrasound-guided percutaneous liver biopsies, using a 14-gauge needle, were overall found to be safe. A one-hour post recovery period is adequate to identify all immediate major complications.

Guerilla Warfare on the Pancreas? A Case of Acute Pancreatitis From a Supplement Known to Contain Anabolic-Androgenic Steroids.

INTRODUCTION: Performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) are commonly consumed in the United States with high prevalence of use in athlete populations and increased use by deployed service members. Many PEDs may contain anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS), which are legally restricted and prohibited by many agencies due to their health risk. CASE DESCRIPTION: A unique case of acute pancreatitis associated with the use of the PED "Guerilla Warfare," a labeled AAS-containing supplement, is presented. The patient is a healthy 20-year-old male Marine who presented with multiple episodes of abdominal cramps each day for a month with decreased appetite and nonbilious vomiting. He reported a 6-week history of "Guerilla Warfare" PED use and review of systems identified fatigue and 12 lb reported weight loss. He presented with normal vital signs, tenderness in upper abdominal quadrants, elevated lipase (909 units/L), lactate dehydrogenase (193 units/L), and an enlarged pancreas with surrounding inflammation on computed tomography. SUMMARY: This constitutes the first report of acute pancreatitis with the use of "Guerilla Warfare," and the second reported case with the use of any AAS-containing PED. Increased awareness of significant PED-associated adverse effects by both the civilian and military communities is needed to better characterize these risks moving forward.