- Delayed Splenic Rupture Following Minor Trauma in a Patient with Underlying Liver Cirrhosis
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Kyung Woon Jeung, Byung Kook Lee, Hyun Ho Ryu
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J Korean Soc Traumatol. 2011;24(1):52-55.
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 Abstract
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- The spleen is the most frequently injured organ following blunt abdominal trauma. However, delayed splenic rupture is rare. As the technical improvement of computed tomography has proceeded, the diagnosis of splenic injury has become easier than before. However, the diagnosis of delayed splenic rupture could be challenging if the trauma is minor and remote. We present a case of delayed splenic rupture in a patient with underlying liver cirrhosis. A 42-year-old male visited our emergency department with pain in the lower left chest following minor blunt trauma. Initial physical exam and abdominal sonography revealed only liver cirrhosis without traumatic injury. On the sixth day after trauma, he complained of abdominal pain and diarrhea after eating snacks. The patient was misdiagnosed as having acute gastroenteritis until he presented with symptoms of shock. Abdominal sonography and computed tomography revealed the splenic rupture. The patient underwent a splenectomy and then underwent a second operation due to postoperative bleeding 20 hours after the first operation. The patient was discharged uneventfully 30 days after trauma. In the present case, the thrombocytopenia and splenomegaly due to liver cirrhosis are suspected of being risk factors for the development of delayed splenic rupture. The physician should keep in mind the possibility of delayed splenic rupture following blunt abdominal or chest trauma.
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Summary
- Spontaneously Healed Thyroid Cartilage Fracture with Displacement: Report of a Case
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Hyun Ho Ryu, Byung Kook Lee, Kyung Woon Jeung
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J Korean Soc Traumatol. 2010;23(1):53-55.
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- A thyroid cartilage fracture is a rare entity and can be overlooked easily. Such cases are difficult to diagnose, and assessment and treatment guidelines are difficult to determine. CT of the neck region may be useful when acute airway intervention is not required or when more information regarding the neck's anatomy is required for management decisions. We describe a case of a thyroid cartilage fracture with displacement. In the emergency department (ED), neck CT and fiberoptic nasopharyngoscopy were used to assess the status of the patient's (a male) vocal chords immediately. He remained unable to phonate continuously. After an immediate assessment, we decided to use steroid and conservative therapy. The patient had a good recovery and was without symptoms one month after injury. There is no question that early surgical repair of neck injuries affords the best results for airway and voice patency in most cases however, we suspect that surgical repair is not needed in all cases. Early recognition and an accurate therapy plan for a thyroid fracture with displacement are essential. Therefore, the emergency physician's immediate and careful decision based on endoscopy and neck CT is important for the patient's long-term recovery.
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