J Emerg Med
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Randomized Controlled Trial
The Impact of Head of Bed Elevation on Optic Nerve Sheath Diameter in Cervical Collar Applied Healthy Volunteers.
Guidelines recommend placing a cervical collar (c-collar) until spinal injury is excluded. Previous studies have shown that c-collar placement increases intracranial pressure (ICP), which can worsen outcomes for trauma patients who are at risk of increased ICP. Head of bed elevation (HBE) has been found to decrease ICP. However, there is no consensus in the literature for the optimal degree of HBE to decrease ICP. ⋯ Our results show that c-collar increases ONSD in healthy volunteers. Elevating the head of the bed 30 and 45° for 20 min decreased ONSD to baseline values.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
A Randomized Controlled Trial using iTClamp, Direct Pressure, and Balloon Catheter Tamponade to Control Neck Hemorrhage in a Perfused Human Cadaver Model.
Penetrating neck wounds are common in the civilian and military realms. Whether high or low velocity, they carry a substantial morbidity and mortality rate. ⋯ The iTClamp and BCT were associated with significantly less fluid loss than DMP in a perfused cadaver model. The iTClamp required significantly less time to apply than the BCT. Both the iTClamp and the BCT were more effective than simple DMP. The iTClamp offers an additional option for managing hard-to-control bleeding in the neck.
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Case Reports
Neutropenia, Hypoxia, and the Complexities of Emergency Medicine: A Case of Dapsone-Induced Methemoglobinemia.
Methemoglobinemia is a rare dyshemoglobinemia that can be difficult to diagnose due to its nonspecific symptomatology and infrequent occurrence. A number of commonly used medications have been known to contribute to this disease process that results in acute hypoxemia. ⋯ A 60-year-old man with history of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome presented to the Emergency Department (ED) with asymptomatic hypoxia. Supplemental oxygen proves to be ineffective in treating his low oxygen saturation. Numerous testing modalities are performed in the ED focused on an infectious versus pulmonary etiology prior to coming to the conclusion that the source is methemoglobinemia induced by dapsone therapy. WHY SHOULD AN EMERGENCY PHYSICIAN BE AWARE OF THIS?: This article discusses the basic pathophysiology of the disease and the expected clinical findings. Patient outcome is correlated with prompt identification and discontinuation of the offending agents leading to the excessive accumulation of methemoglobin in the circulatory system. This makes it crucial that emergency providers know the symptomatology of the disease to facilitate appropriate treatment therapy.
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Surgical cricothyrotomy is a rare procedure but it must be mastered by any physician who is involved in advanced airway management. Lack of experience and practice, the high-stress nature of a "can't intubate, can't oxygenate" emergency, and the unavailability of realistic simulators all contribute to physician hesitance and inaptitude while employing cricothyrotomy during difficult and failed airways. The REAL CRIC Trainer was created to alleviate some of the barriers surrounding a surgical airway. It is designed to provide the user an affordable, easy to replicate, reusable, and extremely realistic experience in cricothyrotomy to prepare for this rare event. ⋯ This simulator makes it practical for physicians in a variety of clinical settings to incorporate its use into regular practice sessions, thereby assuring that physicians are ready to perform an emergent cricothyrotomy if necessary.