Emergency medicine Australasia : EMA
-
A trauma patient with orbital compartment syndrome may lose vision within hours of the injury. This article describes an approach to decompressing the orbit which may be sight-saving.
-
Emerg Med Australas · Jun 2021
Comparing propofol with placebo for early resolution of acute migraine in adult emergency department patients: A double-blind randomised controlled trial.
To compare propofol with placebo in adult ED patients with acute migraine. Primary outcome was headache resolution by 1 h. Secondary outcome was reduction in headache severity by two or more points on a numerical rating scale. ⋯ Propofol was not superior to placebo for the primary outcome of early headache resolution. Superiority of propofol for the secondary outcome of headache severity reduction suggests that further research may be warranted.
-
Emerg Med Australas · Jun 2021
Residential aged care homes: Why do they call '000'? A study of the emergency prehospital care of older people living in residential aged care homes.
To describe the clinical characteristics, medical interventions and patterns of ambulance service use related to the emergency, prehospital care of older people living in residential aged care (RAC) homes. ⋯ This is the first study to describe emergency prehospital care, case-mix and intervention of frail, older people living in RAC. These results demonstrate a clinically complex group of people with high rates of comorbidity, cognitive impairment and polypharmacy. These valuable data will inform education and training of prehospital clinicians, assist in targeting preventative medicine and primary care programmes and further development of alternate, acute and emergency care pathways for this unique patient group.
-
Emerg Med Australas · Jun 2021
Case series and review of emergency front-of-neck surgical airways from The Australian and New Zealand Emergency Department Airway Registry.
An emergency front-of-neck access (eFONA), also called can't intubate, can't oxygenate (CICO) rescue, is a rare event. Little is known about the performance of surgical or percutaneous airways in EDs across Australia and New Zealand. ⋯ Most cases demonstrated deviations from standard difficult airway practice, which may have increased the likelihood of performance of a surgical airway, and its increased likelihood out of hours. Our findings may inform training strategies to improve care for ED patients requiring this critical intervention. We recommend further discussion of proposed standard terminology for emergency surgical or percutaneous airways, to facilitate clear crisis communication.