Annals of emergency medicine
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Case Reports
Circumferential Partial-Thickness Burn Caused by Mobile Telephone Charger: A Case Report.
Many children and adolescents have access to portable electronic devices. Although not always the case, these devices are often charged at nighttime, especially while being used in bed. There are increasing media reports of electric current injury from the portable electronic devices' charging cables, particularly with equipment that is available for lower cost from generic manufacturers. ⋯ She likely sustained an electrical injury from the charger as it came in contact with her necklace, causing a burn. Several companies have investigated the difference in quality and safety of generic versus Apple-brand chargers and have found that the majority of the generic chargers fail basic safety testing, making them a higher risk for electrical injury. As a result of this case, patients and families should be educated about safe use of these devices, especially while they are charging.
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Editorial Comment
Do Corticosteroids Benefit Patients With Influenza Pneumonia?
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Multicenter Study Observational Study
One-Year Mortality of Patients After Emergency Department Treatment for Nonfatal Opioid Overdose.
Despite the increased availability of naloxone, death rates from opioid overdose continue to increase. The goal of this study is to determine the 1-year mortality of patients who were treated for a nonfatal opioid overdose in Massachusetts emergency departments (EDs). ⋯ The short-term and 1-year mortality of patients treated in the ED for nonfatal opioid overdose is high. The first month, and particularly the first 2 days after overdose, is the highest-risk period. Patients who survive opioid overdose should be considered high risk and receive interventions such as being offered buprenorphine, counseling, and referral to treatment before ED discharge.
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The treatment of severe agitation, aggression, and violent behavior in behavioral health patients who present to the emergency department (ED) often requires the intramuscular administration of a sedative. However, administering an intramuscular sedative to an uncooperative patient is associated with the risk of needlestick injuries to both patients and health care providers, and times to onset of sedation range from 15 to 45 minutes. Intranasal absorption is more rapid than intramuscular, with sedatives such as lorazepam reaching peak serum concentrations up to 6 times faster when administered intranasally. We present the first report of using intranasal lorazepam as a needle-free method of providing rapid and effective sedation to treat severe agitation in a pediatric behavioral health patient presenting to the ED.