An Unusual Presentation of a Lymphatic Malformation in an Adult: A Case Report.

INTRODUCTION: Patients commonly present with neck masses to the Emergency Department. The acute presentation of such a mass can be alarming to patients and their families. In this report we discuss a rare etiology of an acutely presenting neck mass in an adult. CASE REPORT: We present a 19-year-old patient with an acute neck mass. The mass developed abruptly soon after initiation of a new upper body strength-training regimen. The patient's history was unremarkable for any trauma or constitutional symptoms. Physical examination revealed the mass, which was diagnosed as a lymphatic malformation by imaging. Surgical removal was successful with pathology confirming the diagnosis. CONCLUSION: Lymphatic malformations, although rare, may present in adulthood. The acute presentation of a new mass, coupled with a lack of concerning constitutional symptoms, should increase the diagnostic suspicion of a lymphatic malformation.

Hemiplegia Following Fluid Administration Through an Implanted Venous Access Device: A Case Report.

INTRODUCTION: Many patients seen in the emergency department (ED) have central venous access placed or previously established placement. Catheters inadvertently placed in the arterial circulation may lead to complications or adverse events. CASE REPORT: We present a case of hemiplegia in a 63-year-old man following intravenous fluid administration through a malpositioned catheter that was initially unrecognized. The patient initially presented to the ED for stroke-like symptoms and was discharged following workup. On a subsequent visit for similar symptoms, intra-arterial placement of the catheter was diagnosed. CONCLUSION: It is important for emergency physicians to be aware of this potential complication of central venous cannulation and that arterial malposition of a previously placed central line may go unrecognized with the potential to cause cerebral ischemia when cerebral blood flow is reduced by the infusion of intravenous fluids or medications.

The Effect of State Legislation on Opioid Prescriptions Following Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repair.

New Jersey State Law, P.L. 2017 Chapter 28 22, C.24:21-15.2, passed in February 2017, is the most restrictive opioid legislation passed thus far in the United States. This study evaluated the effects of this legislation on the postoperative opioid prescriptions of patients undergoing arthroscopic rotator cuff repair (RCR). Opioid prescriptions were compared following arthroscopic RCR before and after implementation of the new law using the New Jersey Prescription Monitoring Program Aware Drug Database. A consecutive cohort of patients who underwent RCR during a 6-month period prior to the legislation was compared with a consecutive cohort of patients who underwent RCR during a 6-month period after the law went into effect. The primary outcome measure was prescribed postoperative milligram morphine equivalents (MME) and number of pills prescribed. There were 265 patients in the pre-law cohort and 198 patients in the post-law cohort. In the pre-law cohort, there was a median of 1250 MME (interquartile range [IQR], 900-1800 MME) and a median of 100 pills (IQR, 60-175 pills) prescribed postoperatively. In the post-law cohort, a median of 900 MME (IQR, 550-1050 MME) and a median of 60 pills (IQR, 60-90 pills) were prescribed postoperatively. A comparison of pre-law and post-law data for MME and number of pills prescribed was statistically significant (P<.001). The median opioid consumption MME and number of pills prescribed following RCR decreased significantly following the implementation of the New Jersey state law. Findings of this study indicate state regulations may play a role in reducing narcotic consumption following RCR. [Orthopedics. 2021;44(1):e80-e84.].

Percutaneous Skeletal Fixation of Painful Subchondral Bone Marrow Edema of the Knee.

PURPOSE: To investigate the change in patient-reported pain after percutaneous skeletal fixation (PSF) and to determine the success rate of PSF in the prevention of additional intervention for the treatment of painful subchondral bone marrow edema (SBME) of the knee over a 2-year postoperative period. METHODS: This was a retrospective, single-surgeon analysis of patients undergoing PSF for painful, atraumatic SBME of the knee confirmed on preoperative magnetic resonance imaging with a minimum 2-year follow-up. Inclusion criteria were age >18 years, pain localized to the area of edema, failure of nonsurgical intervention (4 weeks of physical therapy and non-steroidal medication use), and absence of tricompartmental Kellgren-Lawrence grade 4 osteoarthritis. All patients underwent arthroscopy, followed by isolated PSF without additional chondral procedures. Pre- and postoperative visual analog scale scores were compared. The primary outcome measure of success was defined as a lack of additional intervention. This included viscosupplementation, corticosteroid injection, or conversion to arthroplasty. RESULTS: A total of 74 patients with a mean age of 47.2 years and average follow-up time of 38.9 months (range 24-61 months) were evaluated. Successful treatment was noted in 61 patients (82.4%). Of the 13 patients who did not respond to PSF, 5 (6.8%) had been converted to arthroplasty, 11 received viscosupplementation, and 8 required cortisone injections. The average visual analog scale score decreased from 7.55 preoperatively to 3.16 at 2-year follow-up (P < .001). The average body mass index of successfully treated patients (28.2) was significantly less than that of the patients experiencing failure (32.2) (P = .001). CONCLUSIONS: Patients undergoing PSF for the treatment of painful SBME may expect a decrease in knee pain and low rates of additional intervention over a 2-year postoperative period. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV; Therapeutic Case Series.

Pulseless Electrical Activity Cardiac Arrest.

Audience: This simulation-based scenario is appropriate for senior level emergency medicine residents. Introduction: Pulseless electrical activity (PEA) accounts for up to 25% of sudden cardiac arrest;1 therefore the ability to recognize and care for this condition is an essential skill of emergency medicine physicians. Management of PEA arrest in the emergency department centers on Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) algorithms and the identification and treatment of potentially reversible causes. Massive pulmonary embolism (PE) is one of several causes of PEA cardiac arrest.2 However, diagnosis by CT-angiographic or nuclear imaging may not be obtainable in the hemodynamically unstable patient, requiring physicians to have a high index of suspicion. Systemic thrombolytic therapy is indicated in cardiac arrest due to known or presumed massive pulmonary embolism.3,4,5. Educational Objectives: After competing this simulation-based session, the learner will be able to:Identify PEA arrestReview the ACLS commonly recognized PEA arrest etiologies via the H &T mnemonicReview and discuss the risks and benefits of tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) for massive PE. Educational Methods: This is a high-fidelity simulation that allows learners to evaluate and treat a PEA arrest secondary to massive PE in a safe environment. The learners will demonstrate their ability to recognize a PEA arrest, sort through possible etiologies, and demonstrate treatment of a massive PE with tPA. Debriefing will focus on diagnosis and management of the PEA arrest. Research Methods: This case was piloted with 12 PGY-2 and PGY-3 residents. Group and individual debriefing occurred post-case. Results: Post-simulation feedback from the faculty suggested two potential issues. First was fidelity, which we increased by using our ultrasound simulator. Second, the elevated presenting glucose with lactic acidosis could be a poor cue, leading some towards diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). Discussion: Learners felt more confident about running a PEA arrest. The simulation improved resident awareness of the value of point of care ultrasound (POCUS) in cardiac arrest. It also clarified the dosing of tPA in massive PE. Faculty felt simulating the actual US without breaking simulation would be more challenging without our US simulator. Although there was concern about results pointing towards possible DKA, this did not occur in any of the pilot simulations. The presenting glucose was reduced to make this less likely in future simulations. Topics: Pulseless electrical activity (PEA), syncope, cardiac arrest, Hs and Ts from ACLS PEA instruction, tPA for massive PE, critical care medicine, simulation.

Compensatory strategy between trunk-hip kinematics and reaction time following slip perturbation between subjects with and without chronic low back pain.

Compensatory trunk and hip motions following slip perturbations may compromise the control of lumbopelvic movement. However, it is unclear how postural integration of the trunk and hips can be transferred to treadmill-induced slip perturbations in subjects with chronic low back pain (LBP). The purpose of this study was to investigate trunk reaction times and three-dimensional trunk-hip angle changes following a slip perturbation (duration: 0.12 sec, velocity: 1.37 m/sec, displacement: 8.22 cm) with a handheld task between subjects with and without chronic LBP. There were 23 subjects with LBP and 33 control subjects who participated in the study. The trunk reaction time was not significantly different between groups. However, the three-dimensional trunk-hip angle changes were significantly different following the perturbation. There were significant interactions between the body regions and three-dimensional angles between groups. There was a negative correlation between reaction time and trunk flexion in the LBP group. Overall, the LBP group demonstrated significantly reduced trunk flexion, which might be associated with reduced adaptability or a possible fear of avoidance strategy. Clinicians need to consider compensatory strategies to improve trunk flexibility following slip perturbations in subjects with chronic LBP. Mini abstract: Trunk reaction time and three-dimensional trunk-hip motions were compared between subjects with and without chronic low back pain (LBP). The control group demonstrated greater trunk flexion; however, the LBP group reduced trunk flexion to protect against further injuries following the novelty of the slip perturbation.

The impact of brief team communication, leadership and team behavior training on ad hoc team performance in trauma care settings.

BACKGROUND: Communication breakdowns and care coordination problems often cause preventable adverse patient care events, which can be especially acute in the trauma setting, in which ad hoc teams have little time for advanced planning. Existing teamwork curricula do not address the particular issues associated with ad hoc emergency teams providing trauma care. METHODS: Ad hoc trauma teams completed a preinstruction simulated trauma encounter and were provided with instruction on appropriate team behaviors and team communication. Teams completed a postinstruction simulated trauma encounter immediately afterward and 3 weeks later, then completed a questionnaire. Blinded raters rated videotapes of the simulations. RESULTS: Participants expressed high levels of satisfaction and intent to change practice after the intervention. Participants changed teamwork and communication behavior on the posttest, and changes were sustained after a 3-week interval, though there was some loss of retention. CONCLUSIONS: Brief training exercises can change teamwork and communication behaviors on ad hoc trauma teams.

Team training for surgical trainees.

Healthcare professionals work in teams but are rarely trained together. Realizing the adverse impact of poor teamwork on patient care, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education requires surgical trainees to demonstrate a mastery of teamwork-related competencies. A number of team training curricula are available in the USA, the best known of which is TeamSTEPPS - developed by the U.S. Department of Defense Patient Safety Program in collaboration with the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.