INTRODUCTION
Asthma is a chronic disease affecting between nine-and 12 million persons in the United States. It is the most frequent respiratory disorder complicating pregnancy, affecting 0.4-1.3% of pregnant women. There is a demonstrated association between inadequately controlled asthma during pregnancy and adverse infant and maternal outcomes, and there is considerable evidence that achieving good medical [...]

Based on the presentation and work-up, it is likely that this patient presented with acute hepatic sequestration. Acute hepatic sequestration is characterized by right upper quadrant pain and hepatomegaly. The laboratory data show hyperbilirubinemia, low hemoglo-bin/hematocrit with reticulocytosis. The transaminases are minimally elevated, and the CT and abdominal ultrasound show diffuse hepatomegaly. Viral hepatitis was [...]

Differential Diagnosis of Liver Disease in Sickle Cell Patients
Sickle cell patients are prone to liver injury from viral hepatitis, iron overload, hypoxic injury, common bile duct obstruction, biliary sludge, acute cholecystitis, choledocholithiasis, and the hepatic crisis syndromes. Thus it is important to be familiar with these entities as etiologies of liver disease in sickle cell [...]

The causes of hepatic failure in sickle cell disease are numerous. The sickling of red blood cells, multiple blood transfusions, cocaine use, and intravascular hemolysis have been shown to be causes of hepatic failure. The sickling of red blood cells can cause hepatic infarction by vaso-occlusion, resulting in an obstruction in sinusoidal flow. This results [...]

A 29-year-old black male presented to the emergency room with a complaint of back pain, chest pain, abdominal pain, and dysuria for three days. He had associated fever, chills, and dark urine. On presentation, his temperature was 40°C, the pulse was 120 beats per minute, and the respiratory rate was 32 breaths per minute. The [...]

The first case, in which negative pressure was used in the treatment of pressure ulcers and chronic wounds, was described in 1993 by Argenta et al. Since then, it has been used in a variety of wounds, including diabetic ulcers, abdominal wounds, sternal wounds, and spinal wounds. The principle of negative pressure includes promotion of [...]

Forty-two patients were evaluated between 1999 and 2002 for nonhealing sternal, spinal, and lower-extremity wounds. There were four patients on oral steroids, and none of the patients were on antigraft rejection drugs.