The American journal of emergency medicine
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The use of intramuscular droperidol to treat acute migraine headache has not been previously reported in the emergency medicine literature. It is a promising therapy for migraine. The authors performed a pilot review of all patients receiving droperidol for migraine in our emergency department (ED) to evaluate its efficacy. ⋯ Drowsiness (14%) and mild akathisia (8%) were the only adverse reactions observed following drug administration. Droperidol 2.5 mg intramuscular may be a safe and effective therapy for the ED management of acute migraine headache. Randomized, controlled trials are warranted to further validate the findings of this preliminary study.
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Thyroid hematoma is a rare cause of airway obstruction in victims of blunt trauma. The case of a 34-year-old woman who developed orthopnea after a low-energy motor vehicle accident is described. ⋯ Invasive airway management was not required. The patient underwent a total thyroidectomy and recovered without complications.
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The presentation of aortic dissection in the emergency department may be more subtle than the classic description of a shocked patient with "ripping" chest pain. The epidemiology, variation in presentation, investigation, and management of aortic dissection are reviewed.
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Injectable benzodiazepines are commonly stocked on ambulances for use by paramedics. We evaluated the stability of lorazepam and diazepam as a function of storage temperature. Diazepam (5 mg/mL) and lorazepam (2 mg/mL) injectable solutions were stored for up to 210 days in clear glass syringes at three conditions: 4 degrees C to 10 degrees C (refrigerated); 15 degrees C to 30 degrees C (on-ambulance ambient temperature); and 37 degrees C (oven-heated). ⋯ These results suggest that diazepam and lorazepam can be stored on ambulances. When ambient storage temperatures are 30 degrees C or less, ambulances carrying lorazepam and diazepam should be restocked every 30 to 60 days. When drug storage temperatures exceed 30 degrees C, more frequent stocking or refrigeration is required.
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Although many studies have been published concerning clinical telemedicine, little information is available about emergency department (ED)-based telemedicine programs. An ED-based telemedicine program was initiated in April 1996 involving the National Cheng Kung University Hospital (NCKUH) and the Provincial Peng-Hu Hospital (PPHH) under a pilot project supported by the Department of Health. This is the first telemedicine program for remote offshore island service in Taiwan. ⋯ In a survey, 89.4% of physicians in the PPHH and 82.2% of the physicians in NCKUH rated the system as very comfortable to work with and satisfactory. According to these observations, an ED-based telemedicine program is a feasible method for carrying out remote consultations. Successful development of the partnership and program of telemedicine is based on the active participation and coordination of the medical personnel and technicians between the cooperating hospitals.