Shanjeta

The Wrong Punch Line

It was another afternoon in the ER when we met our 13 year old male patient who was accompanied by his mother for abdominal pain. More specifically, the pain was regional to the left-sided flank area with no associated symptoms. The initial suspicion for flank pain is usually kidney stones. But was it really kidney stones? The story was not adding up.

Update

Hello, MedThoughts is back!

Saturday Night Live

There is absolutely no way to know what to expect when you walk into an emergency room. There can be a trend of kidney stone patients, children with flu-like symptoms, and if it’s a weekend most likely a stream of EtOH intoxication patients. But this night… this was an interesting night.

Kidney Drama and Dialysis

Dialysis is the renal treatment that acts as an “artificial kidney” and filters out the toxins of the body. While is can help facilitate one of the functions of the kidneys, dialysis cannot “replace” the kidneys or fulfill complete performance. There are two types of dialysis: hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis.

Brain Bleed Emergency

A subarachnoid hemorrhage is a devastating type of stroke. While it is not the leading cause of death, it does not have the best prognosis. Look for signs of a brain bleed before it is too late.

Are You Mosquito Worthy?

Have you ever wondered why one person may get more mosquito bites than another? It has more to do with human biology than it does with bad luck!

Ingrown Gone Wrong

“I was concerned because things were getting worse instead of better. I went on google which said I need to amputate my leg and I also called my friend because I’m scared. Do I really need to amputate my leg? My friend told me to come to the ER immediately. I waited one more day just to be sure and because I don’t have insurance. What if I was just overreacting.”

Epinephrine for the Win

Also known as “adrenaline”, epinephrine is produced by the adrenal medulla to activate the sympathetic nervous system in response to physical and emotional stressors. But did you know that epinephrine is also one of the top ten most commonly used medications in critically ill patients?

DIAGNOSING A BROKEN HEART

Takotsubo Syndrome (TTS), also known as the Broken-Heart Syndrome and Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy, is due to severe left ventricular dysfunction. The acute onset of this cardiac diagnosis is triggered by extreme emotional, psychological, or physical stressors.