Had a blast returning to in-person morning report at @VAPaloAlto! Some learning points: [1/5]
1. Strep intermedius can be normal oral flora, but can be very immunogenic and tends to form abscesses. See this excellent review in Frontiers! frontiersin.org/articles/10.33…
[2/5]
2. When managing an empyema (or complicated pleural effusion), involve your thoracic surgical colleagues early as aggressive source control is paramount. [3/5]
3. What do all those chest tube settings mean?
-clamped: simulates no chest tube
-water seal: 'passive' drainage of the fluid/air out
-suction: low-level continuous negative pressure to help draw the fluid/air out [4/5]
4. Why use 'water seal' anyway? If you only had one container to pull out fluid, it would only pull until pressures were equal. And fluid could go back in the pleural space when the patient inhales! (credit to former chief Andre Kumar for first teaching us this schematic!) [5/5]
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11/16/21 morning report learning points! 1) Unexplained ascites can be from multiple intra-abdominal processes. Diagnostic paracentesis is the key first step (get at least 200cc if possible for cytology). Figures from Zach Gray! [1/4]
2) Omental nodularity with ascites on CTAP suggests peritoneal carcinomatosis: but consider mimics such as peritoneal TB, lymphoma, GIST, mesothelioma... and (in California) coccidioidomycosis. [2/4] pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28203370/
3) Carcinoma of Unknown Primary can be difficult to tackle. Check out some thoughts from another recent morning report. [3/4]
AM report teaching points from today... with some help from many #formerchiefs! 1) CUP can be a diagnostic puzzle. @NCCN guidelines are an amazing place to start. Prioritize biopsying an accessible lesion, and stratify from there. [1/5].
2) Some culprits include lymphoma, melanoma, sarcoma, germ cell tumors, and NETs, among others. Adenocarcinoma or SCC without clear primary may be treated by a combination of platinum agent + another agent (such as carboplatin + paclitaxel). [2/5]