Tuberculosis (TB) is a known cause of secondary pneumothorax. In areas with endemic TB, complications from the disease, including pneumothorax, are increasing in prevalence. We present the cases of 3 patients (ages 32 years, 17 years, and 3 months) seen in the emergency department at John F. Kennedy Medical Center in Monrovia, Liberia, West Africa. Each presented with shortness of breath and cough, and with some degree of respiratory distress. Airway compromise was present with tracheal or mediastinal deviation. Each patient underwent tube thoracostomy with improvement in pneumothorax and respiratory status.
A 4-year-old boy underwent a tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy for tonsillar and adenoidal hypertrophy. The patient developed difficulty breathing after a nonbloody emesis during the car ride home after surgery.
We report on a 3-month-old infant, who arrived in the pediatric emergency department (ED) with a cervical cystic hygroma causing an impending compromise of the airway. We recognize that such a lesion can rapidly progress, and the judicious use of imaging in the ED may help to avoid airway compromise and possibly fatal complications.
This study assesses the efficacy of the rapid sequence intubation (RSI) protocol in preventing patient recollection of resuscitative events and patient discomfort during intubation, as subjectively determined by the patient.
A 40-year-old female presented to the emergency department with a one-week history of URI symptoms and a one-day history of more severe throat pain and swelling.
