Adnexal mass evaluation in the emergency department

Ovarian torsion in a 20-year-old patient

Ovarian torsion is an uncommon gynecological emergency that requires prompt recognition and treatment. It may present with nonspecific signs and symptoms, and should be considered in any female with acute abdominal pain. The diagnosis is based on an awareness of the relevant risk factors, the clinical presentation, and a high index of suspicion. Timely investigation and management can make the difference between ovarian loss and salvage — an outcome of great importance in the population of reproductive age females.

Gynecologic ultrasound in emergency medicine

The true value of ultrasound in acute abdominal pain lies in its ability to detect gynecologic disorders and effectively rule out other causes of acute abdominal pain that require surgical repair. Although the emergent gynecologic indications discussed in this article are few in number, this does not suggest that the nonpregnant patient presenting to the ED with abdominal pain should not receive an ultrasound examination. On the contrary, the author believes that in a "perfect world," ultrasound should be the initial imaging study in most of these patients. The reality is that it is difficult to convince radiology colleagues to call in a sonologist in the middle of the night for any indication other than ovarian torsion when CT scans can diagnose ovarian cysts and tubo-ovarian abscess. As was pointed out in the section on ovarian torsion, even adequate ovarian blood flow does not rule out this diagnosis.Ideally, an ultrasound of the pelvis could be undertaken at the time of the pelvic examination, adding as little as 5 to 10 minutes. If a gynecologic disorder could be confirmed, other imaging studies might be unnecessary,thereby reducing cost (potential savings on laboratory tests, cervical cultures, or CT scans), length of stay, and adverse complications of CT(contrast material reactions, and radiation exposure).Emergency medicine ultrasound continues to grow at a rapid pace. We are working toward a time when most EPs will be competent and comfortable performing bedside ultrasound examinations in a limited number of applications. The gynecologic application of ultrasound,however, requires skill beyond the level of the primary applications of emergency medicine ultrasound-specifically, mastering Doppler ultra-sound. Although ultrasound has proved to be a valuable imaging modality in the nonpregnant patient with acute abdominal pain when performed by a seasoned sonographer, the role of ED ultrasound has been limited to those EPs with significantly more training. The author believes that even limited expertise in gynecologic ultrasound is valuable in helping direct the management of these patients. Further research by skilled EP sonographers eventually will help define the role of EPs in this particular application of ultrasound. EPs should not be discouraged from developing expertise in this examination when a confirmatory study in radiology will be performed. Miles on the "ultrasound odometer" will not only sharpen sonographic skills but also will help the EP to better communicate with nonpregnant patients presenting with abdominal pain. There is a fairly specific barometer already in place to gauge one's gynecologic ultrasound skills: a seasoned EP sonographer never skips over the chart of a young woman with right lower quadrant pain.

Renal failure as a result of mesenteric cyst

The authors report a rare case of renal failure secondary to abdominal cyst in a newborn girl. The clinical presentation was one of a largely distended abdomen coupled with anuria. The histopathologic and clinical findings suggest mesenteric cyst causing renal failure by mass effect.

Ruptured heterotopic pregnancy presenting with relative bradycardia in a woman not receiving reproductive assistance

We report a case of heterotopic pregnancy in a woman who had not undergone in vitro fertilization or any other reproductive assistance. The patient failed to mount a tachycardic response to hemorrhagic shock. Bradycardia is a well-established phenomenon in the setting of hemoperitoneum and particularly with ruptured ectopic pregnancy. This is a case of heterotopic pregnancy with relative bradycardia in a woman without predisposing factors for heterotopic pregnancy. We make suggestions on avoiding common pitfalls in the emergency department diagnosis of heterotopic pregnancy. We also address the similar clinical presentations of heterotopic pregnancy and intrauterine pregnancy with ruptured corpus luteum cyst.

Imaging modalities in obstetrics and gynecology

The practicing emergency physician often encounters diagnostic dilemmas involving the choice of the most appropriate radiologic study to evaluate patients in the emergency department. In addition, the uncertainty of potentially harmful fetal effects of radiation in the pregnant patient may add unnecessary delay and concern in the workup of obstetric emergencies. An emergency physician's in-depth understanding of the strengths, limitations, and potentially harmful effects of radiologic studies allows the safest and most appropriate studies to be ordered for the gynecologic and obstetric population. With the explosion of interest and growing level of expertise in focused emergency department ultrasonography during the last decade, the practicing emergency physician should add this skill to his or her armamentarium in the future. Many emergency physicians are already comfortable in using radiologic technologies in their daily practice and have discovered how quickly vital and specific information can be obtained.

Unusual presentations in obstetrics and gynecology

The key to evaluating any patient in the emergency department is to remember to keep an open differential when taking the history and conducting the physical examination. Many of the unusual conditions and complications of gynecologic diseases or procedures discussed in this article can be diagnosed with a careful and complete gynecologic history and examination.