Ultrasound for Critical Care Physicians: Connecting Disparate Symptoms

An 18-year-old woman was recently diagnosed with non-ACTH-Mediated Cushing syndrome, now with a complaint of mild shortness of breath.

Her cardiac exam showed normal sinus rhythm at 84 beats per minute and blood pressure of 130/80 mmHg. Her mitral first heart sound was slightly accentuated, but the pulmonic sound was normal. Grade-I diastolic murmur was heard over the mitral area. Opening snap was absent. Lungs were clear and chest radiograph showed slight cardiomegaly. She had multiple freckles on his face and trunk and along the vermillion border of the lips.

An ultrasound of the heart was performed (Figure 1).

Figure 1. Four chamber view of the heart.

Which of the following is the likely diagnosis?

1. Brugada syndrome
2. Carney syndrome
3. Gotway syndrome
4. Jervell and Lange-Nielsen syndrome
5. Peutz-Jeghers syndrome

Reference as: Gotway MB. Ultrasound for critical care physicians: connecting disparate symptoms. Southwest J Pulm Crit Care. 2013;7(3):176-8. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.13175/swjpcc122-13 PDF

September 2013 Critical Care Case of the Month: Revenge of the Pharaohs

Robert A. Raschke, MD

Elijah Poulos, MD

Banner Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center

Phoenix, AZ

History of Present Illness

The patient was a 68 year-old man, admitted to our ICU through the emergency room (ER) in July 2013 with suspected urinary tract origin sepsis.

The patient was evaluated in ER by the ICU team. He was in his usual state of general good health until he visited his primary care physician for what he felt was a left inguinal hernia, and underwent a prostate examination, four days previously. The patient associated this prostate examination with the onset of fevers and chills that began the next morning. He was seen in an urgent care center where he was told his urinalysis was normal, and antibiotics were not prescribed. Over the intervening 3 days, he suffered recurrent fevers, had vomited three times, and had one diarrheal bowel movement. Earlier on the day of presentation, he had been mowing his lawn (in >100° F environment) and had become a little dizzy. His wife, a retired nurse, finally convinced him to report to the ER.

He denied dysuria, urinary frequency or urgency, headache, sore throat, cough, or abdominal pain.

PMH, SH, FH

He had a prior history of hypertension, gastroesophageal reflux, gout and hypercholesterolemia. He drank alcohol about twice a month and did not smoke.

There was no family history of illnesses.

Medications

• Atorvastatin
• Allopurinol
• Hydrochlorothiazide
• Lisinopril
• Temazepam

Physical Exam

On ER triage, his temperature was 41.2° C, but vitals at the time of our initial examination were temp 38.2° C, HR 93 beats/min, BP 103/48 mm Hg, and respiratory rate 20 breaths/min. He was awake and alert, but made a few errors while relating his history – for instance, he initially answered yes when asked if he had a headache, then corrected himself and said no – he meant he had a fever. He was actively rigoring. HEENT exam was unrevealing. He had no lymphadenopathy. His lungs were clear. His abdomen was soft and nontender. He had a sliding left inguinal hernia that was not tender. None of his joints were acutely inflamed. His prostate was not enlarged or tender to palpation. He had no focal neurological deficits.

Laboratory

Pertinent laboratory values in the ER:

• WBC: 7.7 x10⁹/L
• Hematocrit: 38.4%
• Sodium: 131 me/L
• Potassium: 3.1 me/L
• BUN:28 g/dL
• Creatinine: 1.3 mg/dL
• Lactate: 2.1 mMol/L.

The rest of his admission labs and urinalysis were unremarkable.

Chest Radiography

His initial portable chest x-ray is shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1. Initial portable chest x-ray.

Which of the following is the likely cause of his fever?

1. Prostatitis exacerbated by digital rectal exam
2. Right middle lobe pneumonia
3. Urinary tract infection
4. All of the above
5. None of the above

Reference as: Raschke RA, Poulos E. September 2013 critical care case of the month: revenge of the pharaohs. Southwest J Pulm Crit Care. 2013;7(3):142-50. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.13175/swjpcc104-13 PDF

Ultrasound for Critical Care Physicians: Sickle Cell Crisis

A 32 year old man was admitted a week earlier with sickle cell pain crisis. He had developed increasing dyspnea, oxygen desaturation and bilateral pulmonary infiltrates.  He had a pulseless electric activity code blue and an ultrasound of the heart was obtained (Figure 1).

Figure 1. Subxiphoid view ultrasound of the heart.

What does the ultrasound show?

1. Aortic dissection
2. Aortic stenosis
3. Enlarged left ventricle
4. Enlarged right ventricle
5. Pericardial effusion

Reference as: Raschke RA. Ultrasound for critical care physicians: sickle cell crisis. Southwest J Pulm Crit Care. 2013:7(2):110-1. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.13175/swjpcc113-13 PDF

August 2013 Critical Care Case of the Month: My, That’s a Big One

Andrew Waas, M.D.

Pulmonary Sciences and Critical Care Medicine

University of Colorado Hospital

Denver, Co

History of Present Illness

A 75 year old male presented to the emergency department with complaints of three days of increasing nausea, generalized weakness, and dyspnea on exertion.  He had undergone a radical prostatectomy 13 days prior to presentation from which he was recovering well until the onset of these symptoms. There was no associated chest pain, cough, fevers, chills or weight loss.

PMH, SH, FH

He had a history of hypertension and prostate cancer for which he underwent a recent prostatectomy.

He was born in Colorado and had not traveled recently.  There was no history of tobacco use, he drank ethanol on rare occasions, and did not use any illicit drugs. 

There was no family history of illnesses of which he was aware.

Medications

• Dutasteride 0.5 mg daily
• Telmisartan 40 mg daily

Physical Exam

Blood pressure 142/85, heart rate 108, temperature 36.7 C, respiratory rate 25, saturating 95% on 2L oxygen. 

Generally, he was in no distress, but was slightly tachypneic.  Lungs were clear to auscultation bilaterally and he was tachycardic but regular.  Otherwise, his exam was normal. 

Laboratory

Laboratory evaluation revealed a mild leukocytosis at 13 x 10⁶ cells/mcL with 72% neutrophils and 20% lymphocytes.  His basic metabolic panel (including creatinine) was normal; his liver function tests were likewise normal. 

Chest Radiography

His initial portable chest x-ray is shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1. Initial portable chest x-ray

Which of the following best describes the chest x-ray?

1. Cardiomegaly
2. Cavitating lung mass
3. Multifocal infiltrates
4. All of the above
5. None of the above

Reference as: Waas A. August 2013 critical care case of the month: my, that's a big one. Southwest J Pulm Crit Care. 2013;7(2):66-74. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.13175/swjpcc096-13 PDF

July 2013 Critical Care Case of the Month: The Fortuitous Critical Care Consult

Clement U. Singarajah, M.D.

Elijah Poulos, M.D.

Phoenix VA Medical Center

Phoenix, AZ

History of Present Illness

A 70 year old male with squamous cell cancer of the hypopharynx had undergone a laser ablation and debridement as an outpatient. The ENT surgeon placed a # 6 Shiley DCT tracheostomy tube and the patient did well after the procedure. His chest x-ray after the procedure revealed right lower lobe atelectasis but was interpreted as otherwise normal (Figure 1).

Figure 1. Portable chest-ray after laser ablation and tracheostomy placement.

Due to aspiration and feeding issues, he was scheduled 2 weeks later for percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) tube placement as an outpatient. However, the gastroenterologist cancelled the procedure due to copious secretions from tracheal site, described as purulent and some mild respiratory distress. He was admitted to the general medicine service at the Phoenix VA Medical Center.  

Physical Examination

On examination of the patient, was non-toxic, talking, and alert. Vital signs were within normal limits, but with he had mild dyspnea and moderately thick secretions. A tracheostomy tube was in place in the neck. There were no areas of tenderness over his neck. The remainder of his physical examination was normal.

Radiography

A chest x-ray was performed (Figure 2). 

  

Figure 2. Admission PA (Panel A) and lateral (Panel B) chest x-ray.

Which of the follow are abnormal findings of the chest radiography?

1. The distal tip of the tracheostomy tube is not aligned with the tracheal stripe
2. There is a right pleural effusion
3. There is an air-fluid level in the right lower lung
4. There is right lower lobe atelectasis and/or consolidation
5. All of the above 

Reference as: Singarajah CU, Poulos E. July 2013 critical care case of the month: the fortuitous critical care consult. Southwest J Pulm Crit Care. 2013;7(1):10-16. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.13175/swpcc075-13 PDF