Oncologic mechanical emergencies

Umar A Khan; Carl B Shanholtz; Michael T McCurdy

doi:10.1016/j.emc.2014.04.001

Oncologic mechanical emergencies

Emerg Med Clin North Am. 2014 Aug;32(3):495-508. doi: 10.1016/j.emc.2014.04.001. Epub 2014 Jun 7.

Authors

Umar A Khan¹, Carl B Shanholtz¹, Michael T McCurdy²

Affiliations

¹ Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 110 South Paca Street, 2nd Floor, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA.
² Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 110 South Paca Street, 2nd Floor, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA. Electronic address: drmccurdy@gmail.com.

PMID: 25060246
DOI: 10.1016/j.emc.2014.04.001

Abstract

Prevalence of cancer and its various related complications continues to rise. Increasingly these life-threatening complications are initially managed in the emergency department, making a prompt and accurate diagnosis crucial to effectively institute the proper treatment and establish goals of care. The following oncologic emergencies are reviewed in this article: pericardial tamponade, superior vena cava syndrome, brain metastasis, malignant spinal cord compression, and hyperviscosity syndrome.

Keywords: Brain metastasis; Hyperviscosity syndrome; Metastatic spinal cord compression; Pericardial tamponade; Superior vena cava syndrome.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Blood Viscosity
Brain Neoplasms / complications
Brain Neoplasms / diagnosis*
Brain Neoplasms / secondary
Cardiac Tamponade / diagnostic imaging*
Cardiac Tamponade / therapy
Emergencies
Humans
Neoplasms / complications*
Neoplasms / diagnosis
Paraproteinemias / diagnosis
Paraproteinemias / physiopathology
Spinal Cord Compression / diagnosis
Spinal Cord Compression / therapy
Superior Vena Cava Syndrome / diagnosis*
Superior Vena Cava Syndrome / drug therapy
Superior Vena Cava Syndrome / radiotherapy
Ultrasonography