We describe two cases involving male foreign nationals (a Chinese and a Georgian) treated in a U.S. hospital. Both patients had terminal illnesses, and both cases involved clashes between families and the treating physicians, which occurred because of differing cultural beliefs about truth disclosure. Based on the specific backgrounds of these two patients, we discuss ethical and cultural considerations and make suggestions for physicians who care for ethnically diverse patients.
Right upper quadrant pain and midepigastric pain are common emergency department complaints. This instructional video (available as supporting information in the online version of this paper) provides a basic review of biliary disease processes and explores the application of bedside ultrasound. Instruction is provided on performing bedside biliary ultrasound, including evaluation of the gallbladder for cholelithiasis (Figure 1) and cholecystitis, as well as evaluation of the common bile duct for signs of choledocholithiasis.
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