Pediatric emergency care
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Pyomyositis of the obturator externus muscle is a rare cause of limp and hip pain in children. The exact etiology of the condition remains poorly understood, although a mechanism of transient bacteremia in association with increased muscle susceptibility has been proposed. This case describes the course of a rather than 1 child from presentation to diagnosis and demonstrates the requirement for magnetic resonance imaging in establishing a diagnosis.
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Pediatric emergency care · Sep 2014
Case ReportsAn unusual destination for magnetic foreign bodies.
Rare earth metal magnets (Buckyballs and similar products) remain an important public health risk for children. We report the presentation, course, and treatment of a boy who inserted a string of 30 magnets through his urethra into his bladder and review the diagnostic as well as the therapeutic options for foreign bodies inserted into the pediatric urogenital tract.
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Propofol mixed with racemic ketamine (or "ketofol") is popular for short procedural sedation and analgesia, yet the optimal combination is unknown. We aimed to determine a ketofol dosing regimen for short procedural sedation and analgesia of 5- to 20-minute duration in healthy patients (2-20 y). ⋯ We suggest an optimal ratio of racemic ketamine to propofol of 1:3 for boluses during short procedures (5-20 minutes). A short ketofol infusion, ratio 1:4, is a suitable alternative to intermittent boluses. Ratios greater than 1:3 result in delayed recovery after 20 minutes.
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Children commonly use emergency departments (EDs) for a variety of health care needs. We describe recent trends in US ED use by children. ⋯ The use of ED by children is growing faster than population growth, and the intensity of ED care has risen sharply. Hispanic children and Medicaid beneficiaries represent the fastest growing populations of children using the ED.
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Pediatric emergency care · Sep 2014
A Computerized Child Passenger Safety Screening Program in the Emergency Department.
The emergency department (ED) can be an effective site for pediatric injury prevention initiatives, including child passenger safety. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the implementation of an ED child passenger safety program and to analyze the effectiveness of a computerized screening tool to identify car seat-related needs for children younger than 8 years. ⋯ A child passenger safety program can be successfully implemented in the ED. A computerized nursing screening tool increases compliance with screening and providing needed car seats.