J Emerg Med
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The diagnosis and management of cervical spine injury is more complex in children than in adults. ⋯ With knowledge of these variations in pediatric anatomy, emergency physicians can appropriately identify injuries to the cervical spine and determine when further imaging is needed.
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The TASER(®) X26 Conducted Electrical Weapon (CEW) provides painful stimuli and neuromuscular incapacitation to potentially violent persons. Use by law enforcement in society is common. Presenting a CEW is known to de-escalate some situations. Health care personnel sometimes encounter violent persons within the confines of the hospital. CEW use by health care security personnel has not been described. ⋯ CEW introduction into a health care setting demonstrated the ability to avert and control situations that could result in further injury to subjects, patients, and personnel. This correlates with a decrease in injury for hospital personnel. Further study is recommended for validation.
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Automated ventilation devices are becoming more popular for emergency ventilation, but there is still not much experience concerning the optimal ventilation mode. ⋯ In a simulated respiratory arrest setting, ventilation with an automated pressure-cycled ventilation device resulted in lower respiratory frequency and larger tidal volumes compared to a time- and volume-cycled device. In a simulated cardiac arrest setting, ventilation with an automated pressure-cycled ventilation device, but not a time- and volume-cycled device, resulted in continuous gastric insufflation.
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Case Reports
Prolonged coma in a child due to hashish ingestion with quantitation of THC metabolites in urine.
Cannabinoid-containing substances are commonly abused worldwide. Significant toxicity from these substances is uncommon in adults but can result in significant symptoms in children; these symptoms are usually short-lived. ⋯ Significant ingestion of cannabinoid-containing substances is capable of causing prolonged symptoms (including coma) in children.
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Over 1.4 million patients present annually to United States (US) emergency departments with minor head trauma. Many undergo unnecessary head computed tomography (HCT). ⋯ The study demonstrates that S100B may be a sensitive but non-specific marker of HCT+ injury.