An Unusual Mimic of Intermittent Bowel Obstruction.

BACKGROUND Indigestible foreign material in the bowel can develop into bezoars. Intestinal obstruction can occur secondary to these bezoars. Phytobezoars specifically refer to those which accumulate as a result of undigested plant or other food material. CASE REPORT A 42-year-old woman presented to the Emergency Department with a several-month history of right-sided abdominal pain associated with bouts of vomiting. She had no other significant medical history. Labs and computed tomography were unrevealing. Gastroenterology was consulted and performed endoscopy. A foreign body resembling an undigested mini bell pepper was found near the terminal ileum. This was removed, and the patient later reported significant improvement in her symptoms. CONCLUSIONS Phytobezoars can lead to symptoms consistent with intestinal obstruction. The underlying pathology (e.g., masses, gastritis, adhesions, or dysmotility) can precipitate obstructions in the setting of bezoar formation. Surgical removal if often necessary for small-bowel obstructions secondary to bezoars, but in our case, fortunately, the foreign body was successfully removed during endoscopy.

An Elderly Woman with Abdominal Pain: Mirizzi Syndrome.

BACKGROUND Mirizzi syndrome is an uncommon but clinically important complication of gallbladder disease that occurs when there is extrinsic compression of the common hepatic duct from gallstones within the cystic duct or from within the gallbladder itself. Obstructive jaundice and cholangitis may ensue. In severe cases, bile duct erosion or gallbladder rupture occur. CASE REPORT A demented 80-year-old woman presented to the Emergency Department (ED) with fever and right upper-quadrant abdominal guarding and tenderness. Computed tomography of the abdomen revealed a markedly dilated and thickened gallbladder with hyperdensity in the region of the gallbladder neck. The mass effect of these gallstones caused central intrahepatic biliary ductal dilatation from extrinsic compression of the extrahepatic biliary duct, consistent with Mirizzi syndrome. Additionally, there were 2 areas of focal rupture of the gallbladder wall. General Surgery recommended non-operative management and temporizing the patient with a cholecystostomy tube. She remained in the hospital on IV antibiotics and discharged to follow-up as an outpatient with General Surgery. CONCLUSIONS Significant morbidity and mortality can be associated with the disease states of Mirizzi syndrome, and it is imperative for the ED physician to promptly recognize and treat such clinical entities. In general, treatment requires a multidisciplinary approach, using the history and physical examination to guide appropriate consultation with General Surgery, Gastroenterology, or Interventional Radiology. The prognosis of Mirizzi syndrome is related to the degree of concomitant complications. Aggressive treatment is appropriate for most patients, with surgical intervention being individualized based on the stage and severity of the disease.

Splenic torsion: a rare cause of abdominal pain.

Splenic torsion is an exceedingly rare but clinically important disease process that should be recognised promptly by the treating physician. In this condition, there is twisting of the spleen along its vascular pedicle, subsequently leading to abdominal pain in the setting of organ ischaemia. Vascular thrombosis and splenic infarction may ensue. Torsion has been described in cases of a known wandering spleen. Abnormal development of the splenic suspensory ligaments may predispose a patient to a wandering spleen. Treatment of splenic torsion is typically surgical, with goals of preservation of the spleen if possible.We present a case of a young woman who presented with left-sided chest and abdominal pain and was found to have splenic torsion with complete splenic infarction. Surgical intervention was required, and splenectomy was performed. In this case presentation, we outline the multidisciplinary approach needed to care for the patient with this rare condition.

Atraumatic Clostridial Myonecrosis in an Immunocompromised Host.

BACKGROUND: Necrotizing fasciitis is usually associated with a surgical or traumatic wound. Clostridial myonecrosis is an uncommon but deadly infection that can develop in the absence of a wound and is often associated with occult gastrointestinal cancer or immunocompromise, or both. CASE REPORT: We report a case of catastrophic atraumatic Clostridium septicum infection in an immunocompromised host. WHY SHOULD AN EMERGENCY PHYSICIAN BE AWARE OF THIS?: Emergency physicians most commonly associate necrotizing fasciitis with superinfection of an open wound. This case reminds physicians that patients with acquired neutropenia can present with spontaneous gas gangrene due to C. septicum. Providers should consider this diagnosis in immunocompromised patients who present with acute onset of severe atraumatic limb pain.

The durability of operational improvements with rotational patient assignment.

INTRODUCTION: Previous work has suggested that Emergency Department rotational patient assignment (a system in which patients are algorithmically assigned to physicians) is associated with immediate (first-year) improvements in operational metrics. We sought to determine if these improvements persisted over a longer follow-up period. METHODS: Single-site, retrospective analysis focused on years 2-4 post-implementation (follow-up) of a rotational patient assignment system. We compared operational data for these years with previously published data from the last year of physician self-assignment and the first year of rotational patient assignment. We report data for patient characteristics, departmental characteristics and facility characteristics, as well as outcomes of length of stay (LOS), arrival to provider time (APT), and rate of patients who left before being seen (LBBS). RESULTS: There were 140,673 patient visits during the five year period; 138,501 (98.7%) were eligible for analysis. LOS, APT, and LBBS during follow-up remained improved vs. physician self-assignment, with improvements similar to those noted in the first year of implementation. Compared with the last year of physician self-assignment, approximate yearly average improvements during follow-up were a decrease in median LOS of 18min (8% improvement), a decrease in median APT of 21min (54% improvement), and a decrease in LBBS of 0.69% (72% improvement). CONCLUSION: In a single facility study, rotational patient assignment was associated with sustained operational improvements several years after implementation. These findings provide further evidence that rotational patient assignment is a viable strategy in front-end process redesign.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus sepsis presenting with septic pulmonary emboli.

BACKGROUND: Septic pulmonary emboli are the result of infections that typically originate from an extrapulmonary source. Septic pulmonary embolus is a rare disorder that classically presents with fever, respiratory symptoms, and lung infiltrates. OBJECTIVES: Our objective is to share our experience of a rare diagnosis that was the result of a very common bacterium seen in the Emergency Department (ED). CASE REPORT: We present a case of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) sepsis presenting as bilateral septic pulmonary emboli in a patient with undiagnosed acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. A 29-year-old Hispanic man presented to our ED with a history of abdominal pain and vomiting for 3 days and new onset of shortness of breath. The patient was seen 2 weeks prior for a simple abscess incision and drainage and was treated with trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole. On the day of admission, a helical computed tomography scan of the chest was obtained, which revealed bilateral septic pulmonary emboli. The patient was admitted for intravenous antibiotic therapy and was subsequently found to have MRSA sepsis. CONCLUSION: Septic pulmonary embolus is a rare finding that is most commonly seen in patients who are immunocompromised. The patient fully recovered after aggressive antibiotic therapy.