This article reviews the use of thoracic ultrasound in the intensive care unit (ICU). The focus of this article is to review the basic terminology and clinical applications of thoracic ultrasound. The diagnostic approach to a breathless patient, the blue protocol, is presented in a simplified flow chart. The diagnostic application of thoracic ultrasound in lung parenchymal and pleural diseases, role in bedside procedures, diaphragmatic assessment, and lung recruitment are described. Recent updates discussed in this review help support its increasingly indispensable role in the emergent and critical care setting.
Statins are the primary class of medication used to lower serum cholesterol concentration for both primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease. Muscle pain is a frequent adverse effect of statins. Severe myonecrosis leading to clinical rhabdomyolysis is rare. We encountered a 63-year-old male with a medical history of hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and coronary artery disease with angioplasty in 2008 and 2020. He was started on rosuvastatin 40 mg (0-0-1) along with dual anti-platelets post angioplasty and was discharged home. He traveled back to his hometown and noticed progressive symmetric muscle weakness with decreased urine output. After visiting another hospital he presented to us with severe proximal muscle weakness and acute renal failure. Laboratory investigations were initiated which demonstrated clinically significant derangement in serum creatinine phosphokinase, serum creatinine, urine myoglobin along with deranged liver enzymes. He was subjected to nerve conduction studies for his muscle weakness which was normal and electromyography showed abnormal spontaneous muscle activity in all examined muscles (fibrillations, positive sharp waves, and pseudomyotonic discharges) suggestive of an irritable myopathy. The medication was stopped and he was treated with eight cycles of hemodialysis until his muscle weakness and laboratory parameters improved. He was then discharged with some improvement in muscle weakness. On two week follow-up, the patient showed partial improvement after discontinuation of all lipid-lowering medication.
Primary hyperparathyroidism is the third most commonly encountered endocrine disorder after diabetes and thyroid diseases. There has been a constant debate between medical and surgical management of the disorder. Guidelines clearly indicate surgical management over medical management in symptomatic patients and asymptomatic patients below 50 years of age. The problem is identification of symptoms can be difficult as there is a large overlap in the presentation of symptomatic and asymptomatic patients. Here, a 74-year-old veteran presented with scrotal edema and a perineal abscess. He had urinary incontinence secondary to urological procedures which were done for nephrolithiasis, which were detected incidentally on imaging. He had multiple vertebral compression fractures and required referral to neurosurgery. He had worsening renal function and cognitive impairment. On review of his medical records he was found to have a long-standing history of medically managed hyperparathyroidism, which was complicated due to non-compliance to follow-up outpatient visits. He constantly declined elective parathyroidectomy but unfortunately had to undergo several other invasive procedures with multiple hospital visits due to the complications of hyperparathyroidism. Safe medical management of hyperparathyroidism requires a religious follow-up and compliance to outpatient visits. He was started on Denosumab which we attribute to be contributory to his skin infections although evidence to support the same is insufficient.
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