Archives of emergency medicine
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The authors describe the case history of a patient who was stabbed in the back of his neck with a knife and who later presented with a Brown-Séquard syndrome attributable to cervical spinal cord damage. Myelography and CT revealed a compressive extradural lesion shown at exploratory operation to be a loculus of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). The loculus had formed as a consequence of leakage of CSF through a dural tear caused by the knife. ⋯ The necessity of obtaining a clear history and of performing a thorough clinical examination is explained. The need to admit patients in whom stab wounds of the neck have transgressed subcutaneous fat is reiterated. Early referral to a neurosurgeon is advised for those patients with neurological deficits.
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Interscalene brachial plexus block is a simple and effective alternative to intravenous benzodiazepines or general anaesthesia for manipulation of the dislocated shoulder. Thirty interscalene brachial plexus blocks were performed on 29 patients with dislocations of the shoulder to provide regional anaesthesia for reduction. Pain was abolished by 14 out of the 30 blocks performed, improved by 13 and unchanged by three. ⋯ In 26 cases the block allowed reduction of the dislocation without additional analgesia or sedative. Reduction was not possible in four cases. There were no significant complications.
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Review Case Reports
Conjunctival oxygen monitoring during cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
The conjunctival oxygen tension (CjO2) sensor is a non-invasive, continuous index of oxygen delivery in the haemodynamically unstable patient. Human and animal studies have indicated that CjO2 reflects cerebral blood flow and oxygenation. Simple insertion, rapid stabilization and reaction time less than 60 s allow use in the initial stages of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) where invasive monitoring is often impracticable. ⋯ This study suggests that closed CPR has no value in maintaining or improving cerebral oxygenation during cardiac arrest. Further studies are required to determine the precise relationship of CjO2 to cerebral blood flow and oxygenation during CPR using open and closed techniques of cardiac massage. Open chest cardiac massage (open CPR) has been shown to produce near normal cerebral perfusion and if patients are to survive prolonged resuscitation neurologically intact guidelines for open CPR must be reviewed.
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The introduction of a hand-held drench hose into a district general hospital accident and emergency department, for the emergency irrigation of chemically injured eyes is reported. The hose is described, together with the technique of irrigation. The advantages that a high-flow, low pressure system affords over conventional irrigation methods are discussed. The system appears to offer a simple, immediately available, effective tool for emergency eye care, which is suitable for use by a variety of personnel.