Academic emergency medicine : official journal of the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine
-
A simplified 4-step cricothyrotomy technique is described. The procedure can be completed in < 30 seconds without use of suction or additional light source. The only equipment needed is a #20 scalpel, a tracheal hook with a large radius, and a cuffed tracheostomy tube. ⋯ Because the operator's body position and hand movements (steps 3 and 4) are similar to those in orotracheal intubation, there is a feeling of familiarity that enhances retention of the procedure. The steps are illustrated and 4 cases using this technique are reported. Since the hands at each step are stabilized on the patient and no special equipment is needed, this technique also may be ideal for the out-of-hospital environment.
-
To determine whether out-of-hospital care charts selectively report trauma triage criteria, and the impact of such documentation on triage guideline development. ⋯ In the authors' EMS system, standard EMS report documentation underreports ACS trauma triage mechanism criteria. This underreporting appears to bias outcome analysis in the direction of a worse outcome and more resource utilization. Reporting of mechanism-of-injury criteria improves with use of a structured data instrument.
-
To evaluate the use of practice tracks by each of the 24 medical specialty boards and to compare this with the experience in emergency medicine (EM). ⋯ Practice tracks were common in the early years of most specialties and most were limited by duration. The history of the practice track in EM is not dissimilar to those of other specialties.
-
To determine whether the orthostatic change in the shock index or published tilt test criteria better discriminated normal individuals from those with moderate acute blood loss. ⋯ The OCSI discriminates normal individuals from those with acute moderate blood loss as well as previously published tilt test definitions do.