Tumour Lysis Syndrome

/ Martin Kuuskne / Leave a comment

This case is written by Dr. Donika Orlich. She is a PGY5 Emergency Medicine resident at McMaster University who completed a fellowship in Simulation and Medical Education last year.

Why it Matters

Tumor Lysis Syndrome is a constellation of metabolic disturbances that can occur as a potentially fatal complication of treating cancers, most notably leukemias or solid rapidly-proliferating tumours. This case highlights the following:

  • The identification and management of severe hyperkalemia
  • The need to consider Tumour Lysis Syndrome as a diagnosis and order appropriate metabolic tests
  • Recognizing and initiating the treatment of severe hyperuricemia
  • Communicating with family members effectively during the treatment of a critically ill patient.

Clinical Vignette

A 72-year-old male presents to the emergency department complaining of general weakness for 2 days.  His wife called EMS and he was a STEMI patch to your hospital. He has been placed in the resuscitation bay.

Case Summary

A 72-year-old male is brought in as a “code STEMI” to the resuscitation bay. He was recently diagnosed with ALL and had chemotherapy 3 days ago for the first time. The patient is severely hyperkalemic, which must be initially recognized and treated, hypocalcemic and hyperuricemic as a result of Tumour Lysis Syndrome and the metabolic derangements must be stabilized until emergent hemodialysis is arranged.

Download the case here: Tumour Lysis Syndrome

ECGs for the case found here:

ecg90406-hyperkalaemia-pr-lengthens

(Source:  http://lifeinthefastlane.com/ecg-library/basics/hyperkalaemia/)

normal-sinus-rhythm

(Source:  http://cdn.lifeinthefastlane.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/normal-sinus-rhythm.jpg)

CXR for the case found here:

CXR

Obstetrical Trauma

/ kcaners / Leave a comment

This case is written by Dr. Donika Orlich. She is a PGY5 Emergency Medicine resident at McMaster University who completed a fellowship in Simulation and Medical Education last year.

Why it Matters

The management of a late-term pregnant trauma patient poses unique challenges. In particular, this case highlights the following:

  • The need for manual uterine displacement
  • The importance of considering uterine rupture or abruption as part of the primary or secondary survey (and how this necessitates a pelvic exam)
  • The challenge associated with controlling the noise and chaos in the trauma bay when multiple consultants are present
  • How difficult it is to break bad news about two patients at once to the father

**Special note: please be aware that this case has the potentially to be distressing to learners. As such, if you are to run it, please have resources available to help learners should they be affected by the weight of this case.

Clinical Vignette

You are working in a tertiary care emergency department and receive an EMS Patch: “33F who appears quite pregnant coming to you from an MVC. Belted driver. Prolonged extrication at the scene (30mins). Altered LOC and hypotensive on scene. Current vitals: HR 150, BP 80/50, RR 40, O2 90% on NRB, CBG 6. 1L NS bolus going. ETA 5 minutes.”

Case Summary

A 33 year old G2P1 female at 32 weeks GA presents with blunt trauma following an MVC. She will be hypotensive due to both hypovolemic shock from a pelvic fracture and obstructive shock from a tension pneumothorax. Fetal monitoring will show the fetus in distress with tachycardia and late decelerations. Early airway intervention should be employed, with thoughtful selection of drugs for sedation and paralysis given the pregnancy. After intubation, the patient will remain hypotensive. She will require massive transfusion and coordination of care between orthopedics, general surgery, and obstetrics. The patient’s husband will also arrive after intubation and the team must give him the bad news.

Download the case here: Obstetrical trauma case

ECG for the case found here:

Sinus tachycardia

(ECG source: http://i0.wp.com/lifeinthefastlane.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/sinus-tachycardia.jpg)

CXR for the case found here:

CXR Tension ptx

(CXR source: http://cdem.phpwebhosting.com/ssm/pulm/pneumothorax/images/cxr_ptx_3.png)

Pelvic XR for the case found here:

Pelvic X-ray post binder

(PXR source: https://drhem.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/5-4-6.jpg)

Normal pericardial U/S for the case found here: 

Left lung U/S with no lung sliding found here: 

RUQ U/S showing FF found here: RUQ FF

(All U/S images are courtesy of McMaster PoCUS Subspecialty Training Program)

Pancreatitis with ARDS

/ kcaners / Leave a comment

This case is written by Dr. Kyla Caners. She is an emergency physician in Hamilton, Ontario and the Simulation Director of McMaster University’s FRCP-EM program. She is also one of the Editors-in-Chief here at EmSimCases.

Why it Matters

Pancreatitis is a common diagnosis made in the ED. However, severe pancreatitis with shock is relatively rare. As such, this case highlights several important points about the management of a hypotensive patient with abdominal pain:

  • The importance of maintaining a broad differential diagnosis and employing beside imaging in one’s assessment
  • The need for aggressive fluid resuscitation in an acutely hypotensive patient
  • The risk of ARDS with pancreatitis
  • The importance of developing a safe approach to the intubation of a patient who is simultaneously hypoxic and hypotensive

Clinical Vignette

Patricia is a 50 year old female who presents with epigastric abdominal pain. It’s been persistent for the last 24 hours and radiates through to her back. She has been nauseous all day and has been vomiting so much she “can’t keep anything down.” She was “on a bender” this weekend drinking beer and whiskey.

Case Summary

A 50 year-old female who was “on a bender” over the weekend now presents with diffuse abdominal pain and persistent nausea and vomiting. She will have a diffusely tender abdomen, a BP of 80/40, and be tachycardic. The team will need to work through a broad differential diagnosis and should fluid resuscitate aggressively. Once the patient has received 6L of fluid, she will become tachypneic and hypoxic and require intubation. The team will be given a lipase result just prior.

Download the case here: Pancreatitis with ARDS

ECG for the case found here:

Sinus tachycardia

(ECG source: http://cdn.lifeinthefastlane.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/sinus-tachycardia.jpg)

Initial CXR for the case found here:

normal female CXR radiopedia

(CXR source: http://radiopaedia.org/articles/normal-position-of-diaphragms-on-chest-radiography)

ARDS CXR for when patient is hypoxic found here:

Pre-intuabtion

(CXR source: http://www.radiology.vcu.edu/programs/residents/quiz/pulm_ cotw/PulmonConf/09-03-04/68yM%2008-03-04%20CXR.jpg)

Post-intubation CXR for the case found here:

Post intubation

(CXR source: http://courses.washington.edu/med620/images/mv_c3fig1.jpg)

FAST showing no free fluid found here:

no FF

U/S aorta showing no AAA found here:

no AAA

Pericardial U/S showing no effusion found here:

(All U/S images are courtesy of McMaster PoCUS Subspecialty Training Program)

Acute Chest Syndrome

/ kcaners / Leave a comment

This case is written by Dr. Carla Angelski. She has completed both a PEM fellowship at Dalhousie and a MEd in Health Sciences Education. She now works in the Pediatric Emergency Department at the Royal University Hospital in Saskatchewan and is intimately involved in the delivery of high-fidelity simulation at the their sim centre. She is currently working on a curriculum to deliver in-situ simulation for ongoing faculty CME within the division and department.

Why it Matters

Patients with sickle cell disease are subject to a host of crises that can be difficult to manage. This case highlights the unique management of acute chest syndrome. In particular:

  • Recognition of acute chest syndrome as a possibility in the sickle cell patient with respiratory distress
  • Judicious use of fluids in patients with possible acute chest syndrome
  • The possible need for exchange transfusion in patients with severe acute chest syndrome

Clinical Vignette

You are working the day shift at a tertiary children’s hospital. A mother brings in her son, James, a four-year old boy with known sickle cell disease (HbSS). She is concerned since he’s had low energy and a cough for two days. Now he’s had a fever since this afternoon.

Case Summary

A 4-year-old boy with known sick cell disease presents with two days of cough and a one afternoon of fever. The patient is initially saturating at 88%, looks unwell and is in moderate-severe distress. During the case, the patient’s oxygenation with drop and the emergency team is expected to provide airway support. They will also need to pick appropriate induction agents for intubation. The case will end with ICU admission. During the case, the mother will also be challenging/questioning the team until a team member is delegated to help keep the mother calm.

Download the case here: Acute Chest Syndrome

CXR for the case found here:

sickle cell CXR

(CXR source: http://reference.medscape.com/features/slideshow/sickle-cell#8)

Post-intubation CXR for the case found here:

Post-intubation R-sided infiltrate

(CXR source: http://www.swjpcc.com/critical-care/?currentPage=4)

Gearing up to restart!

/ kcaners / Leave a comment

After an exam-writing hiatus, we’re gearing up to restart our regular case publications.

Have a case you’d love to see featured on the site? Send it to us at cases@emsimcases.com. We’re always happy to collaborate and feature the great work of our peers.

Stay tuned for new cases coming soon – we’ve got great things planned!

Short Break

/ kcaners / Leave a comment

We’re going to be taking a short break here at EMSimCases. Our editors-in-chief have decided to pause until after their board exams in May. But don’t worry, we’ll be right back at it with new and interesting cases shortly thereafter.

Thanks for reading! We look forward to bringing you new content in May.

Digoxin Overdose

/ kcaners / 2 Comments

This case is written by Dr. Kyla Caners. She is a PGY5 Emergency Medicine resident at McMaster University and is also one of the Editors-in-Chief here at EMSimCases.

Why it Matters

Digoxin toxicity is of critical importance to recognize. There are many subtleties to its management, which means that the concepts of digoxin toxicity are important to review. This case highlights some key features of chronic digoxin toxicity. In particular:

  • The importance of considering digoxin toxicity in essentially all patients who take digoxin (due to its vague symptomatology)
  • The classic ECG rhythm seen in toxicity: bidirectional VT
  • The importance of treating digoxin toxicity early (and before a level is back) in the unstable patient with suspected toxicity
  • How to dose digibind for management of toxicity

This case is likely to push the knowledge capacity of junior learners. For senior learners, the case could be modified to include a less pathognomonic rhythm at the case onset. For example, a slow a fib could be used. Rapidly alternating between fast and slow rhythms would be another excellent alternative.

Clinical Vignette

Mildred Funk is a 90 year old woman who is brought to the ED by her daughter because of confusion. She had some vomiting and diarrhea recently and hasn’t been eating or drinking much since. Today, she seems confused and keeps complaining that she’s dizzy to her daughter

Case Summary

A 90 year-old woman is brought to ED by her daughter because of confusion. She recently had a bought of vomiting and diarrhea and hasn’t been taking much PO since. Today, she is less responsive, seems confused, and is complaining of being dizzy. The team will be given a copy of the patient’s medication list, which will include digoxin. On arrival, the patient will be hypotensive and her rhythm will be bi-directional VT. Ideally, the team should give digibind. If they do not, they will receive blood work back with a high level to trigger administration.

Download the case here: Digoxin Overdose

ECG #1 for the case found here:

Bidirectional-VT

(ECG source: http://cdn.lifeinthefastlane.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Bidirectional-VT.jpg)

ECG #2 for the case found here:

afib.jpg

(ECG source: http://cdn.lifeinthefastlane.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/af1.jpg)

CXR for the case found here:

normal-female-chest

(CXR source: http://radiopaedia.org/articles/normal-position-of-diaphragms-on-chest-radiography)

Ruptured Ectopic

/ kcaners / Leave a comment

This case is written by Dr. Kyla Caners. She is a PGY5 Emergency Medicine resident at McMaster University and is also one of the Editors-in-Chief here at EMSimCases.

Why it Matters

Ectopic pregnancy is a can’t miss diagnosis in Emergency Medicine. This case highlights just how sick patients with ruptured ectopic pregnancies can be. Some important learning points include:

  • The importance to having an approach to the undifferentiated patient with syncope and hypotension
  • The need to order a βHCG in women of child-bearing age who present with syncope
  • The rapid stabilization of a patient with intraperitoneal hemorrhage using massive transfusion.

Clinical Vignette

26 year old female presents after a syncopal episode at home. She immigrated from Cambodia two weeks ago to work as a live-in nanny, but has been feeling unwell for the last 3 days. The patient speaks limited English, but the family she is staying with said she has been vomiting the past few days and was unable to get out of bed this morning. When she tried, she because quite dizzy and then passed out.

Case Summary

26 year-old female, recently immigrated from Cambodia, presents after a syncopal episode at home. At the case outset, she complains of feeling “a little dizzy” and has a HR of 100 and a BP of 90/60. Once the team initiates care, the patient will say she has to vomit and then become poorly responsive and more hypotensive. The patient does not know that she is pregnant, so the team will have to consider the diagnosis early and use bedside U/S to point them in the right direction. The team will then need to initiate a massive transfusion and arrange for surgery. If the ectopic pregnancy is not recognized, the patient will become persistently more hypotensive until she has a PEA arrest.

Download the case here: Ruptured Ectopic

RUQ U/S for the case found here:

RUQ FF

Abdominal U/S with no IUP for the case found here:

(All U/S images are courtesy of McMaster PoCUS Subspecialty Training Program.)

ECG #1 for the case found here:

Sinus tachycardia

(ECG source: http://cdn.lifeinthefastlane.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/sinus-tachycardia.jpg)

ECG #2 for the case found here:

normal-sinus-rhythm

(ECG source: http://cdn.lifeinthefastlane.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/normal-sinus-rhythm.jpg)

Post-intubation CXR for the case found here:

Post-Intubation

Post Intubation

(CXR source: https://emcow.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/normal-intubation2.jpg)

 

Hypothermia with Trauma

/ kcaners / 1 Comment

This case is written by Dr. Stephen Miller. He is an emergency physician in Halifax. He is also the former medical director of EM Simulation and the current director of the Skilled Clinician Program for UGME at Dalhousie University. He developed his interest in simulation while obtaining his Masters of Health Professions Education.

Why it Matters

Moderate to severe hypothermia can be quite challenging to correct. This case highlights several important features of hypothermia management:

  • The importance of searching for concurrent illness that may be causing the hypothermia or working against rewarming efforts
  • The effect of hypothermia on trauma management
  • Modifications to ACLS as required during hypothermic resuscitation
  • The multitude of ways in which one can attempt to actively re-warm a patient

Clinical Vignette

An approximately 30 year old female is brought into the ED at 4 AM by a man who found her lying at the side of the road. It is minus 30 degrees Celsius outside and she has no coat or shoes. The man does not know her and is unable to provide any additional history except that she was blue and having trouble breathing when he found her. She is noted to have a decreased LOC and laboured breathing. She has obvious deformities of her left forearm and right leg.

Case Summary

30 year-old female is brought into the ED at 4 AM by a man who found her lying at the side of the road with no coat or shoes. It is minus 30 degrees Celsius outside. On arrival she has a reduced LOC, laboured breathing, a right-sided pneumothorax, cyanotic extremities, a left radius & ulna fracture, and a right tib-fib fracture. The team is required to use both active and passive rewarming strategies. Regardless of the team’s efforts, the patient in this case will arrest. Upon ROSC, they are required to continue rewarming as well as to address the other traumatic injuries.

Download the case here: Hypothermia

CXR for the case found here:

PTX R with rib fractures

(CXR source: http://radiopaedia.org/cases/pneumothorax-due-to-rib-fractures-1)

ECG for the case found here:

hypothermia-shiver-artefact

(ECG source: : http://cdn.lifeinthefastlane.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/hypothermia-shiver-artefact.jpg)

Right lung U/S found here:

Left lung U/S found here:

RUQ FAST image found here:

RUQ FF

Pericardial U/S found here:

(All U/S images are courtesy of McMaster PoCUS Subspecialty Training Program.)

Two Patient Trauma

/ kcaners / 1 Comment

This case was written by Dr. Martin Kuuskne from McGill University. Dr. Kuuskne is a PGY5 Emergency Medicine resident and one of the editors-in-chief at EMSimCases.

Why it Matters

Emergency Medicine often requires care providers to be in multiple places at once. It is not uncommon to have two patients simultaneously require urgent or semi-urgent intervention. This case helps learners to develop this important skill by highlighting:

  • The challenges of triaging patients as immediately urgent or less urgent
  • The need to assign tasks to team members
  • The importance of adhering to the basics, even in a taxing situation

Clinical Vignette

Before entering the room: You are working the day shift in a tertiary care emergency department with full surgical capabilities. EMS is en-route to the hospital with two patients, a 37-year-old male and a 65 year old female, who were both drivers of a t-bone MVC of unknown speed. The ambulances will arrive in 2 minutes.

Upon entering the room: Each patient will be accompanied with a paramedic who will give this information and will be available to stay if asked.

Patient A: “37 year old male, belted driver, he got t-boned on the driver’s side. There was significant intrusion of his side door. We’re not sure if there was a loss of consciousness, we put him on a non-rebreather and his SAT was around 92%, tachy at 105 with an OK BP around 110 systolic during the ride.”

Patient B: “65 year old female, belted driver who t-boned the other car. The front of her car was totaled. Airbags were deployed and there was a brief loss of consciousness. We put on the collar ASAP. Vitals were stable en route but she was a bit confused during the ride. No vomiting.”

Case Summary

A young male and a middle-aged female are brought to the ED after a T-bone MVC at an unknown speed. Both patients were drivers. The emergency team is expected to triage the patients accordingly and to split the team so that both patients are treated.

Patient A: The team is expected to recognize respiratory compromise secondary to pneumothorax. Needle decompression and tube thoracostomy should be administered. The patient will in remain in respiratory compromise post-decompression and the team should consider intubation. If the pneumothorax is not recognized or treated, the patient will arrest. On secondary survey, the patient will complain of pelvic pain in addition to a positive eFAST evaluation. The team should activate the massive transfusion protocol (MTP) and activate the trauma/surgery team.

Patient B: The team is expected to recognize hypoglycemia in the context of a minor head injury. Immediate glucose replacement is required.

Download the case here:  Two for one MVC

CXR for Patient A found here:

left flail chest

(CXR source: http://learningradiology.com/archives2009/COW%20353-Flail%20Chest/caseoftheweek353page.htm)

Pelvic xray for Patient A found here:

open book # from radiopedia

(Xray source: http://radiopaedia.org/articles/open-book-fracture)

Left lung U/S for Patient A found here:

Right lung U/S for Patient A found here:

RUQ FAST image for Patient A found here:

RUQ FF

Pericardial U/S for Patient A found here:

(All U/S images are courtesy of McMaster PoCUS Subspecialty Training Program.)

CXR for Patient B found here:

normal female CXR radiopedia

(CXR source: http://radiopaedia.org/articles/normal-position-of-diaphragms-on-chest-radiography)