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Fournier's gangrene is a rare and often fulminant necrotizing fasciitis of the perineum and genital region frequently due to a synergistic polymicrobial infection. This truly emergent condition is typically seen in elderly, diabetic, or otherwise immune-compromised individuals. Here, we report an unusual case of Fournier's gangrene due to excessive masturbation in an otherwise healthy 29-year-old male who presented to the emergency department complaining of two days of fever, vomiting, and diffuse myalgias. Upon further questioning, he also endorsed severe scrotal pain and swelling and frequent masturbation with soap as a lubricant resulting in recurrent penile erythema and minor skin abrasions. Examination of the patient's perineum was consistent with Fournier's gangrene and included significant erythema, edema, and calor of the penis and scrotum with a large malodorous eschar. He was given intravenous antibiotics and immunoglobulin and promptly underwent three surgical debridements of the scrotum and penis with split-thickness skin grafting. Complications from excessive masturbation are exceedingly rare, but as this case illustrates, they can be life threatening.

Only a few cases of nontraumatic orbital subperiosteal hematoma due to scuba diving have been reported, and this is the first of such cases that underwent surgical intervention. This injury results from negative pressure within the face mask, suctioning orbital tissues into the mask after incomplete equilibration of pressure on descent. Valsalva maneuver is a second mechanism implicated in the etiology of this injury. Recognition of this injury is of the utmost importance because vision loss is a possible complication if there is compression of the optic nerve or increased intraocular pressure. In many cases of nontraumatic orbital hematoma, conservative management is adequate; however, this case was an exception due to worsening exam findings. Divers may be able to prevent this injury by frequent and gentle equilibration of mask pressure on descent.

Since the first description of the Chance fracture in 1948, there have been few case reports of unique mechanisms causing this classical flexion-extension injury to the spine in motor vehicle accidents, sports injury, and falls. To our knowledge, this injury has not been reported from a fall with the mechanistic forces acting laterally on the spine and with spinal support in place. We present a 21-year-old male who slid down a flight of stairs onto his side wearing a heavy mountaineering style backpack, subsequently sustaining a Chance fracture of his first lumbar vertebrae.

Aims To review and analyse med ical evacuation data collected at the Chevron Niugini Ridge Hospital in the Lake Kutubu area of the Southern Highlands Province of Papua New Guinea. Setting The Kutubu oil field area in Southern Highlands Province including two camps and 51 local villages. Methods Medical evacuation records spanning the four year period 1993–1997 were reviewed for the Lake Kutubu area. Patient origin, age, sex, diagnostic category, referral destination and transfer modality were analysed. Results Seventy five percent of medical evacuations involved villagers. Trauma was the most common medical evacuation diagnostic category followed by complicated obstetric, respiratory and malaria diagnoses. Most medical evacuations (86%) were referred to the Ridge Hospital and Southern Highlands medical facilities. Methods of transport were evenly distributed between road, helicopter and fixed wing transfers. An above average number of medical evacuations occurred during November each year. Conclusion Further trauma research in Papua New Guinea will allow health planners to address this important cause of medical evacuation. Papua New Guinea Governments should consider developing a formal medical evacuation network.

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ABSTRACT Introduction Psychiatric complaints account for a sizable and increasing portion of emergency department (ED) visits. Compared with other medical patients, these patients often require substantial resources because of limited specialized resources and prolonged boarding times, which can be detrimental to the safety and satisfaction of other patients. This can prompt early and indiscriminate laboratory testing to expedite early requests for admission consideration. Numerous emergency medicine literature and clinical policies already recommend against indiscriminate screening labs for these patients, yet many psychiatric services require these tests. This study further evidences the limited clinical utility and high associated costs of mandatory protocol screening labs for psychiatric patients evaluated in military EDs. Materials and Methods A retrospective chart review of 441 active duty military patients and their families presenting to Madigan Army Medical Center’s ED who received psychiatric diagnoses underwent analysis. A 3-physician review panel evaluated each identified patient case to confirm eligibility and determine whether or not laboratory studies led to a change in patient disposition that was not identified by history, review of systems, physical exam, and known past medical history. The review was approved by the hospital’s institutional review board. Contemporary laboratory tests ordered in the evaluation of these patients included complete blood count with differential, complete metabolic panel, thyroid-stimulating hormone, serum ethanol, serum acetaminophen, serum salicylates, urine drug screening, urinalysis, urine human chorionic gonadotropin, and electrocardiograms. Results Broad screening labs may have altered dispositions for 0.9% ( 4) of patients. In total, 93% (202) of admitted patients were dispositioned to a psychiatric service. Of the 15 patients admitted to a medical service, 10 involved overdoses or intoxication. One patient had anemia in addition to opioid use disorder as diagnoses and was dispositioned to a medicine service. One pediatric patient was admitted for observation only. The remaining patients had diagnoses based on physical exam and history requiring medical service admission. In total, 7 patients had unknown dispositions, of which 4 carried solely psychiatric diagnoses. Conclusions The cumulative reimbursement costs of broad testing in the studied population were estimated at $36,325.17 and rarely altered patient disposition. Further testing does not increase the incidence of disposition altering diagnoses and is associated with increased costs. When individual state laws and the clinical assessment by the responsible emergency physician are considered, future standardized ED lab screening evaluations of psychiatric patients in military EDs may be concentrated to breathalyzer alcohol level, urine drug screen, serum salicylates, serum acetaminophen, and urine human chorionic gonadotropin.

2016-11-15T19:40:59