J Emerg Med
-
Guidelines recommend initiation of appropriate antimicrobial therapy within 1 h of severe sepsis diagnosis. Few sepsis bundles exist in the literature emphasizing initiation of specific antibiotic therapy. ⋯ An updated antibiotic-specific sepsis bundle, with antibiotics put in an automated medication cabinet, can result in improvements in the initiation of appropriate initial antibiotic therapy for severe sepsis in the emergency department.
-
Amyand's hernia is described as the presence of an appendix vermiformis in the inguinal hernia sac. The incidence of Amyand's hernia is approximately 1% of all inguinal hernias. Amyand's hernia is diagnosed intraoperatively or preoperatively with radiologic examinations. ⋯ Two cases of Amyand's hernia, with and without acute appendicitis, are reported here. WHY SHOULD AN EMERGENCY PHYSICIAN BE AWARE OF THIS?: Amyand's hernia is a rare entity, and physical signs, laboratory results, and symptoms are not always helpful in diagnosis. Preoperative diagnosis of Amyand's hernia is not straightforward, and is generally an incidental finding during surgery. Imaging modalities, including ultrasound, can be very useful for making this rare diagnosis.
-
Prehospital tracheal intubation may be performed by novice intubators in cervical immobilized patients. However, most indirect laryngoscopes require special training. The McGrath® Series 5 video laryngoscope is similar to the Macintosh laryngoscope in shape and usage, yet still confers the advantages of having indirect laryngoscopes. ⋯ McGrath® Series 5 video laryngoscope may be better than a standard Macintosh laryngoscope for novice intubators intubating the trachea in cervical immobilization, due to the higher first-attempt success rate, faster intubation time, fewer dental clicks, lower number of intubation attempts, and overall ease of use.
-
Proteinaceous esophageal food impaction typically requires endoscopic intervention. An alternative approach is the use of proteolytic enzymes. Concerns regarding the use of proteolytic enzymes include the risk of perforation and aspiration pneumonitis. ⋯ We have used proteolytic enzymes with a high success rate and with minimal complication. Further, if proteolytic enzymes fail, endoscopy can be performed safely and effectively. We recommend the use of proteolytic enzymes as the initial management in all patients with proteinaceous food impaction of the esophagus.
-
Coincidental occurrence of acute coronary syndrome with symptoms associated with an allergic reaction is called Kounis syndrome (KS). Although KS has been recognized for several years and has been reported in many documents, KS induced by chronic autoimmune urticaria (CAU), to the authors' knowledge, has not been reported. ⋯ The patient was a 31-year-old woman who suffered from chronic urticaria for nearly 3 years. Her urticaria became more serious 1 week before this visit and was accompanied by repeated attacks of cardiac symptoms. Autologous serum skin test and serum anti-high affinity immunoglobulin E receptor antibody test were positive for CAU. Her coronary artery pathological changes were confirmed by electrocardiogram (ECG), cardiac troponin T (cTnT) value, and angiocardiography. The patient was diagnosed with KS. After being treated with cetirizine, glucocorticoids, and azathioprine, the patient did not relapse during the first year of follow-up. WHY SHOULD AN EMERGENCY PHYSICIAN BE AWARE OF THIS?: When seeing a patient with intermittent exacerbations of chronic urticaria accompanied by repeated attacks of cardiac symptoms, emergency physicians should consider the diagnosis of KS. It is important to monitor changes in the ECG and cTnT value. Angiocardiography is necessary to eliminate myocardial infarction or unstable angina. Second-generation antihistamines and glucocorticoids are effective in the treatment of CAU and also alleviate coronary spasm. Another important consideration for the emergency physician is the fact that some first-generation antihistamines have the side effect of ventricular tachycardia or fibrillation, so it is better not to use these drugs to treat urticaria if KS is suspected.