Chest

Hernias are a common ailment among Americans; more than 4 million people develop the painful condition. And although both men and women develop hernias, female patients may be harder to diagnose. Doctors and patients may not realize the abdominal pain a woman is feeling is because of a hernia. Dr. Hien Nguyen, assistant professor of surgery at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, said the pain can be mistaken for other conditions with similar symptoms, such as adhesions from prior surgery, endometriosis, fibroids and ovarian cysts.

A man was shot and critically wounded early Friday in Baltimore's Old Goucher neighborhood, and police arrested a suspect in a separate shooting in East Baltimore. Police said the Old Goucher shooting occurred at about 4 a.m. in the 2100 block of N. Charles St. The victim, an unidentified 22-year-old, was standing in the block when an older model vehicle pulled up and a group of males got out and surrounded him, said Det. Angela Carter-Watson, a police spokeswoman. He was shot once in the chest.

Attorney GeneralDouglas F. Gansler, the first of the expected Democratic contenders for the 2014 gubernatorial nomination to report his fund-raising totals for last year, now has more than $4 million in the bank after taking in more than $1 million in 2011. Several hours before the filing deadline, Gansler reported that he has almost  $4.1 million on hand. He listed total receipts between Jan. 13, 2011, and Jan. 11, 2012,of $1.2 million. Gansler, who did not have to spend heavily on his re-election bid in 2010, came into the year with $2.9 million.

A man who had been involved in a road-rage incident was stabbed on a street in Catonsville Friday night, Baltimore County Police said. Officers responding to a call at 8:39 p.m. found the wounded man in the unit block of Delrey Ave. in the Wilkens District. The victim told police two men involved in the dispute followed him to the location by car and that one of the men stabbed him in the chest before the pair drove off in an unknown direction. The injured man was taken to University of Maryland Shock Trauma, where he is being treated for non life-threatening injuries.

A man was found shot multiple times in the chest early Saturday in the 3500 block Hayward Ave. in Northwest Baltimore, police said. The incident was reported at 4:50 a.m. Further details were not immediately available. Text NEWS to 70701 to get Baltimore Sun local news text alerts

Baltimore County police are investigating an overnight Pikesville stabbing that sent a man to Shock Trauma. Police responded to the intersection of Reisterstown Road and 7 Mile Lane around 2:45 a.m. and found a man stabbed in the chest. No information about suspects or motives was available. The victim is still being treated for his wounds. District detectives are investigating the incident.

Multiple reports of gunfire sent police to Baltimore's Irvington neighborhood Thursday afternoon, where they found a 26-year-old man suffering from multiple gunshot wounds to his head and chest. Officers responded at 4:29 p.m. to the unit block of North Athol Street near Mountview Road. The victim was taken to University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center where he died at 5:20 p.m. Baltimore police have not identified the victim. Mary.gail.hare@baltsun.com Text NEWS to 70701 to get Baltimore Sun local news text alerts

City police are investigating a shooting in the northeast area early Thursday that has left the victim in critical condition. Officers discovered the 21-year-old man at 2:07 a.m. in the 1500 block of Wadsworth Way near the intersection with Loch Raven Boulevard. He had been shot in the torso and was taken to an area hospital for treatment. Mary.gail.hare@baltsun.com Text NEWS to 70701 to get Baltimore Sun local news text alerts

An 11-year-old student at Collington Square Elementary/Middle School was shot in the chest with a BB gun on Monday evening, city school officials said, after he and another student began fighting on the school's playground during an after-school program. The incident happened about 5:30 p.m. Monday, city school officials said. The victim was attending the program and the other student returned to the school. After the students began fighting, the suspect walked up to the student and shot him in the chest with the BB gun. The victim did not need medical treatment, city school officials said.

Mayor Stephanie C. Rawlings-Blake stepped out of a black SUV shortly after being released from the hospital Thursday afternoon and teetered in stiletto heels toward City Hall. "I guess I wore the wrong shoes to show I'm back on my feet," she said with a wry grin. The mayor was hospitalized for eleven hours after she awoke before dawn with chest pains, numbness and dizziness. Doctors performed a battery of tests and determined that the 39-year-old was suffering from gastro-intestinal difficulties, she said.

Four people were injured Friday night in a drive-by shooting in central Baltimore, leaving a female victim in critical condition, police said. Two teenagers, a man and a female of unknown age were shot at about 7:10 p.m. in the 300 block of Bloom Street in the Madison Park neighborhood, according to police. Several people in a dark-colored van drove up to the victims, who were sitting in front of a residence, stopped the vehicle and opened fire, police said. The shooters then fled the scene in the van, police said.

A 24-year-old man told police he was shot Sunday on a basketball court in the Oliver neighborhood on the city's east side. Police had canvassed the area surrounding Aisquith and Eager streets after responding at 9:23 p.m. to reports of gunfire. Officers later found the victim, who had been driven to an area hospital. He told police he and his brother were playing basketball at a park in the 1400 block of N. Caroline St. They heard shots and he felt a sudden pain, police said. He is being treated for a chest wound and is expected to recover, police said.

Multiple reports of gunfire sent police to Baltimore's Irvington neighborhood Thursday afternoon, where they found a 26-year-old man suffering from multiple gunshot wounds to his head and chest. Officers responded at 4:29 p.m. to the unit block of North Athol Street near Mountview Road. The victim was taken to University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center where he died at 5:20 p.m. Baltimore police have not identified the victim. Mary.gail.hare@baltsun.com Text NEWS to 70701 to get Baltimore Sun local news text alerts

City police are investigating a shooting in the northeast area early Thursday that has left the victim in critical condition. Officers discovered the 21-year-old man at 2:07 a.m. in the 1500 block of Wadsworth Way near the intersection with Loch Raven Boulevard. He had been shot in the torso and was taken to an area hospital for treatment. Mary.gail.hare@baltsun.com Text NEWS to 70701 to get Baltimore Sun local news text alerts

A man was fatally stabbed in East Baltimore on Thursday night, according to police. Police responded to the 3000 block of E. Preston Street about 9:10 p.m. to find a man with a stab wound to the chest, according to Det. Donny Moses, a police spokesman. The man was pronounced dead at the scene, Moses said. Homicide detectives were still investigating late Thursday night. No further details were immediately available, Moses said. krector@baltsun.com twitter.com/rectorsun

A man who was shot while trying to rob a business Wednesday was later located by police at the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center, police said. Officers responded to the hospital at 9:10 p.m. after receiving word that a man with a gunshot wound to the chest had walked in. An investigation showed the man had been shot while attempting to rob a store in the 3600 block of Parkdale Drive, just north of Druid Hill Park, police said. No further details were immediately available.

Carroll County Commissioner Richard T. Yates was released yesterday from Carroll County General Hospital after being admitted Tuesday because of tightness in his chest.Mr. Yates, 70, said he went to the hospital emergency room "as a precaution" after feeling discomfort in his chest late Tuesday afternoon. He said that hospital doctors decided to keep him overnight to monitor his heart and for a series of tests, including an electrocardiogram, a stress test and blood tests.Mr. Yates was released from the hospital last night and said the tests did not indicate a specific problem.

Sudden cardiac death is the most common mode of death in this country with more than 300,000 deaths per year, a third of which occur during physical activity. It is estimated that approximately 1,000 children die of sudden death each year. Sudden cardiac death most often occurs as the result of ventricular fibrillation (VF), an abrupt irregular heart rhythm that causes the heart to quiver inneffectively rather than pumping normally. In lacrosse and other sports such as baseball and hockey, however, another unpredictable and relatively uncommon source of cardiac death has been recognized — commotio cordis.

The race to become Howard County's next executive is shaping up, with potential candidates stashing money in the bank for the chance to replace term-limited Ken Ulman, who is considering a run for higher office. Campaign finance reports, released this week, show potential contenders gearing up ahead of the 2014 election, including Del. Guy Guzzone and Howard County Councilwoman Courtney Watson, who are Democrats, and Republican Sen. Allan Kittleman. Guzzone said he banked roughly $92,000 in 2011 and has a balance of about $192,000.