Journal of accident & emergency medicine
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The case is reported of a young woman who suffered a wedge fracture of C7 due to axial loading with a flexed spine, in an injury caused by barfly jumping. The fracture was unstable and required surgical stabilisation. In this case the seriousness of the injury was not realised at first because neck radiographs were not taken at her initial assessment in accident and emergency.
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To devise a proforma for clinical documentation of psychiatric illness in an accident and emergency (A&E) department, since A&E senior house officers (SHOs) have little psychiatric experience before starting their jobs. ⋯ A standard form for documenting psychiatric history, designed according to local needs, is useful and should be available in A&E departments.
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Tension pneumoperitoneum developing in a middle aged asthmatic male during resuscitation after a respiratory arrest is reported. This was associated with bilateral tension pneumothorax and caused severe respiratory embarrassment which was relieved by needle decompression, after decompression of the pneumothoraces. The chest is not the only body cavity that can contain air under tension.