Articles: emergency-services.
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Emerg Med Australas · Feb 2025
Impact of socioeconomic status on utilisation of a Virtual Emergency Department: An exploratory analysis.
To explore whether utilisation of a Virtual Emergency Department (VVED) differs according to socioeconomic status (SES). ⋯ The present study demonstrated a relatively even utilisation of the VVED service across SES population groups. The use of healthcare provider pathways, such as ambulance paramedics, may increase equitable access to telehealth. Clinical attention should be directed toward specific social groups in the emergency care setting.
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Emerg Med Australas · Feb 2025
ReviewReview article: Somatization Disorders in emergency department: A critical overview of current challenges and future directions.
Individuals with Somatization Disorders present frequently to the ED with non-cardiac chest pain, non-specific abdominal pain, headaches and a range of other non-specific symptoms. Somatization Disorder presentations are ubiquitous within the healthcare system. ⋯ The current review explores the scope of the problem and, the challenges inherent in diagnosing and treating these disorders in ED environments. Based on available evidence and the essential character of these disorders, future directions are suggested for more effective emergency management and possible referral from ED.
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Case Reports
Point-of-Care Ultrasound Diagnosis of Pyocele: A Rare Complication of Testicular Infection.
Epididymo-orchitis is one of the common causes of acute scrotal pain that requires an accurate diagnosis as delayed management can result in complications such as pyocele, abscess, or testicular infarction. Point-of-care ultrasound (PoCUS) has emerged as a valuable diagnostic tool in the management of testicular emergencies in the emergency department (ED) including testicular infections CASE REPORT: Here we report a case of an elderly man who presented to the ED with a complaint of right-sided testicular pain and swelling. ⋯ WHY SHOULD AN EMERGENCY PHYSICIAN BE AWARE OF THIS?: This case underscores the important role of PoCUS in the timely and accurate diagnosis of pyocele. The prompt identification of pyocele enabled early referral to urology services, highlighting the significance of integrating PoCUS into the management of testicular emergencies in the ED.
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Emergency tracheal intubation is associated with a risk of clinical adverse events, including the risk of first-attempt failure. Induction agents usually include a sedative and a neuromuscular blocking agent (i.e., paralytic). Whether the order of administration (i.e., sedative vs. paralytic given first) is associated with first-attempt failure or adverse events is unknown. ⋯ In this Bayesian analysis a paralytic-first drug sequence was associated with reduced first-attempt failure during emergency tracheal intubation.
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Multicenter Study
Pediatric firearm injuries and socioeconomic vulnerability before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Pediatric firearm injuries disproportionately affect groups experiencing socioeconomic disadvantage. Firearm injuries increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, but the impact on communities by degree of socioeconomic disadvantage is unknown. We examined the association between socioeconomic vulnerability and change in pediatric firearm injuries before versus during the pandemic. ⋯ The increase in pediatric firearm injuries during the COVID-19 pandemic impacted youth in all but the lowest deprivation quartile. Efforts at curbing gun violence should identify and amplify protective effects in under-resourced communities.