CJEM
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To perform a province-wide evaluation of adult major traumas and determine the proportion of patients who met clinical and/or anatomical criteria for resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta (REBOA). ⋯ In this registry-based retrospective analysis, 1.5% of adult major trauma patients Nova Scotia were REBOA candidates based on resuscitative clinical presentation, while 0.5% were candidates based on post hoc anatomical injury patterns. Our findings suggest that using clinical findings and bedside imaging modalities as criteria may overestimate the number of candidates for REBOA.
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The Canadian clinical practice guidelines propose a novel diagnostic pathway incorporating a clinical decision tool and D-dimer to aid in risk stratifying patients for acute aortic syndrome. The objective of this study was to assess if implementation of a diagnostic pathway incorporating D-dimer would increase the usage of D-dimer and computed tomography (CT) in a tertiary care emergency department. ⋯ This single centre study found that a diagnostic pathway for acute aortic syndrome including D-dimer could be implemented without a significant increase in test ordering during this first 2 weeks after implementation. This study adds to the argument for use of D-dimer to help risk stratify patients for the diagnosis of acute aortic syndrome. Future studies are needed to confirm the diagnostic accuracy of this pathway and the long-term impact on resource utilization.
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Observational Study
The association of rocuronium dosing and first-attempt intubation success in adult emergency department patients.
The recommended rocuronium dose for rapid sequence intubation is 1.0 mg/kg; however, the optimal dose for emergency airway management is not clear. We assessed the relationship between rocuronium dose and first-attempt success among emergency department (ED) patients undergoing rapid sequence intubation. ⋯ Rocuronium dosed ≥1.4 mg/kg was associated with higher first attempt success when using direct laryngoscopy and among patients with pre-intubation hypotension with no increase in adverse events. We recommend further prospective evaluation of the dosing of rocuronium prior to offering definitive clinical guidance.