Close Call After a Fall: Understanding Traumatic and Atraumatic Splenic Rupture and Its Life-Threatening Consequences.

Splenic rupture, a critical surgical emergency involving the tearing of the spleen's capsule and the ensuing internal bleeding, primarily results from abdominal trauma or underlying medical conditions affecting the spleen. A 71-year-old male with hypertension and hyperlipidemia suffered a mechanical fall, leading to his presentation in the emergency department. Despite a stable initial condition and discharge, he returned the following day with dizziness and severe anemia. Subsequent diagnostics revealed a ruptured spleen, necessitating immediate surgical intervention. This case emphasizes traumatic and atraumatic causes of splenic rupture, with older adults, anticoagulant users, and viral illnesses accentuating vulnerability. Physical exam findings might be absent, highlighting the importance of considering splenic rupture in cases of unexplained hemodynamic instability. In this instance, a combination of trauma, a possible history of anticoagulation use, and a recent viral illness contributed to the patient's splenic rupture. The case underscores the need to retain a high index of suspicion for splenic rupture even without obvious physical findings, advocating for diligent evaluation of abnormal vital signs.

Effectiveness of Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment in Treating Symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Literature Review.

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common gastrointestinal disorder that affects a patient for their entire life. Effective treatments for IBS are scarce, leading to an increased interest in alternative treatments such as osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT). OMT uses hands-on treatment to reduce pain through various methods. By focusing on visceral techniques, OMT can restore autonomic homeostasis and increase lymphatic flow. This literature review aims to investigate the efficacy of visceral OMT in reducing the severity of IBS symptoms. Five primary research studies were evaluated in this analysis. The concluding results show that visceral OMT effectively reduces the symptoms of IBS and improves patients' quality of life. Therefore, OMT should be considered an alternative therapy for treating IBS.