2024

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The VIP Syndrome In Healthcare (Very Important Person)

The Trauma Pro

The VIP syndrome occurs in healthcare when a celebrity or other well-connected “important” person receives a level of care that the average person does not. This situation was first documented in a paper published in the 1960s, which noted that VIP patients have worse outcomes. Who is a VIP? It may be a celebrity. A family member. Or even a colleague.

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Rebaked: Inborn Errors of Metabolism presenting in the ED

Pediatric EM Morsels

Often our job requires us to consider the presence of needles of significant illness in the haystack of nonspecific symptoms. With the help of our favorite geneticist , Dr. Liz Baker, we will dive into the haystack headfirst and find those needles. Hopefully, without getting poked. Let’s consider Inborn Errors of Metabolism Presenting in the ED : Inborn Errors of Metabolism: Basics Common Presentations, Uncommon Kiddos For the child with lethargy, vomiting, acidosis, hypoglycemia , organom

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ECG Blog #419 — The Cause of ECG #1?

Ken Grauer, MD

I was sent the 2 ECGs shown in Figure-1 — which were recorded from an elderly man whose heart beat "has been irregular for years". No clear history for recent chest pain — but the patient "has not been well" for the previous week. Regarding the 2 ECGs in Figure-1 : ECG #1 is the initial tracing obtained at the scene by the EMS ( E mergency M edical S ystems ) team — in association with an alert but markedly hypotensive patient.

EKG/ECG 497
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Communic8: Eight Universal Leadership Lessons from the Children’s Emergency Department

Don't Forget the Bubbles

The Childrens Emergency Department is a busy, challenging, and dynamic environment. The skills needed to deliver the best possible outcomes for children and young people are multifaceted and constantly evolving. They involve a mixture of clinical, communication, and leadership traits. Having recently moved from a leadership position within the Childrens Emergency Department to a more system-based role involving children of all ages, its apparent to me how transferable my experiences on the shop

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Bridging Innovation & Patient Care: The Growing Role of AI

Speaker: Simran Kaur, Co-founder & CEO at Tattva.Health

AI is transforming clinical trials—accelerating drug discovery, optimizing patient recruitment, and improving data analysis. But its impact goes far beyond research. As AI-driven innovation reshapes the clinical trial process, it’s also influencing broader healthcare trends, from personalized medicine to patient outcomes. Join this new webinar featuring Simran Kaur for an insightful discussion on what all of this means for the future of healthcare!

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Nirsevimab (Beyfortus): is universal prophylaxis for RSV warranted?

Sensible Medicine

Dharini Bhammar, PhD, MBBS, is a respiratory physiologist and evidence enthusiast. As a new mum, her pediatrician recommended the RSV monoclonal antibody for her baby. After reviewing the evidence, she declined it. We are excited to share her clearly written argument as an excellent example of evidence translation. Core concepts discussed include effect size, net benefit and the external validity of clinical trials.

Hospitals 140
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Building a Learning Culture in the ED: Why It Matters and How to Make It Happen.

St. Emlyn

St.Emlyn's - Emergency Medicine #FOAMed Creating a learning culture in the emergency department (ED) fosters psychological safety, open communication, and continuous improvement. This approach supports team resilience, enhances patient care, and reduces burnout. Learn practical steps to build a strong learning culture in your ED, promoting growth and collaborative excellence in emergency medicine.

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Elbow Dislocations

RebelEM

Elbow Dislocation Definition: Disarticulation of the proximal radius & ulna bones from the humerus Epidemiology: Incidence Second most common joint dislocation (after shoulder) in adults Most commonly dislocated joint in children Accounts for 10-25% of all injuries to the elbow ( Cohen 1998 ) Posterolateral is the most common type of dislocation (80%) Demographics Most commonly affects patients between ages 10-20 years old As age increases, elbow dislocation rates tend to d

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SGEM Xtra: The 12 Days of Christmas the SGEM Gave to Me

The Skeptics' Guide to EM

Date: December 15, 2024 Guest Skeptics: Dr. Chris Carpenter, Vice Chair of Emergency Medicine at Mayo Clinic. Today, were sleighing through the holiday season with a special episode filled with statistical cheer, a dash of skepticism, and a hint of eggnog-flavoured nerdiness. This is an SGEM Xtra like the one we did on What I Learned from Top Gun. Its fun to mix it up and not do a structured critical appraisal of a recent publication and have a more philosophical chat.

Outcomes 127
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Ep 199 Trauma Airway and Airway Trauma

Emergency Medicine Cases

In this EM Cases main episode podcast, we tackle the complexities of trauma airway management, including direct trauma to the airway. We discuss indications and timing of intubation, penetrating neck trauma, the head injured patient, the agitated patients and the soiled airway. The critical question is: when should we deviate from, delay or modify RSI, and how do we navigate the unique challenges presented by trauma airways and airway trauma?

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But Can You Just PO?

Taming the SRU

Fluid management in the Emergency Department (ED) is crucial in the adequate resuscitation of the acutely ill and decompensating patient. Patients present to the ED with hypovolemia secondary to a plethora of causessome requiring IV fluid resuscitation and others requiring none. Considering the nationwide IV fluid shortage, judicious use of fluids is imperative.

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Everything You Wanted To Know About: Cranial Bone Flaps

The Trauma Pro

Patients with severe TBI frequently undergo surgical procedures to remove clot or decompress the brain. Most of the time, they undergo a craniotomy, in which a bone flap is raised temporarily and then replaced at the end of the procedure. But in decompressive surgery, the bone flap cannot be replaced because doing so may increase intracranial pressure.

Hospitals 260
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Mycoplasma Pneumonia in Children

Pediatric EM Morsels

Its been a BIG year for Mycoplasma! If your EDs have been anything like ours, youve been seeing more patients with Mycoplasma Pneumonia than you expected. Many kids are presenting to the ED for failure of outpatient antibiotic therapy of community acquired pneumonia, only to find out thats because they werent on the right meds! Let’s debrief on this atypical bug.

CDC 167
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ECG Blog #462 — Why so Slow. ?

Ken Grauer, MD

I was sent the ECG in Figure-1 told only that the patient was an older adult who reported dizziness with activity. QUESTIONS: What is the rhythm? ( HINT: There are at least 4 important findings that should be noted ). Is there AV block? Figure-1: The initial ECG in today's case. ( To improve visualization I've digitized the original ECG using PMcardio ).

EKG/ECG 428
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Delirium revisited

EM Ottawa

Delirium is a medical emergency. It is characterized by acute disturbance of consciousness, with changes in perceptual disturbances and fluctuation of symptoms. Delirium is often the initial manifestation of an underlying acute illness and can be present before fever, tachypnea, tachycardia, or hypoxia. There is an ED prevalence ranging from 7-24%, with increased mortality rates […] The post Delirium revisited appeared first on EMOttawa Blog.

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Lifestyle, Statins, or Both?

Sensible Medicine

The study of the week will take a short break. I head to Curitiba Brazil tomorrow for the Brazilian EP society meeting. I have five lectures. I will be back next week. And there will be plenty of studies to choose from because we are entering the fall season of medical meetings. This week, Sensible Medicine features a guest column from Zachary R. Caverley, a Cardiology Physician Assistant working in the Northwest coast of Oregon.

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Difficult Airway Society Meeting 2024

St. Emlyn

St.Emlyn's - Emergency Medicine #FOAMed Explore key takeaways from the DAS 2024 meeting, including airway management in obstetrics, ethics of training, challenges in critical care, and international practices. Insights tailored for emergency and anaesthesia professionals. The post Difficult Airway Society Meeting 2024 appeared first on St.Emlyn's.

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What can you find with continuous ST monitoring in the ED?

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

This was written by one of our fine residents, who will soon be an EMS fellow: Michael Perlmutter Case A mid-50s male came to the ED with a burning sensation that was acutely worse while at home. He had recently returned from overseas travel where these symptoms had been intermittently bothersome over the preceding weeks and had been attributed to heartburn.

EKG/ECG 113
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Rethinking Fluid Resuscitation in Vaso-Occlusive Crisis: Is Lactated Ringer’s the Superior Choice?

RebelEM

Background: Sickle cell disease (SCD) affects an estimated 300,000 infants born worldwide each year and has a total estimated prevalence of 100,000 in the United States alone ( Piel 2017 ). Within this population, over 90% of healthcare encounters are due to painful vaso-occlusive episodes (VOE) ( Kidwell 2021 ). VOE is often complicated by hypovolemia, making fluid administration a common intervention ( Lovett 2017 ).

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The PECARN c-spine rule could cause a lot of harm

First 10 EM

As with everything that comes out of the PECARN group, this is a huge study, and is therefore one that everyone needs to know about. That being said, despite working in two very busy community hospitals with a high percentage of pediatrics visits, c-spine injuries are just not an issue I struggle with. I have […] The post The PECARN c-spine rule could cause a lot of harm appeared first on First10EM.

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EM Quick Hits 61 TEE in Cardiac Arrest, Nebulized Ketamine, Cellulitis Update, SQ Insulin for DKA, Medicolegal DDx Documentation Tips

Emergency Medicine Cases

On this month's EM Quick Hits podcast: Ross Prager on TEE in cardiac arrest, Justin Morgenstern on nebulized ketamine for analgesia in the ED, Hans Rosenberg & Krishin Yadav on standardizing cellulitis management, Mathew McArther on latest studies on subcutaneous insulin protocols in DKA, Jennifer C. Tang on documenting differential diagnoses medicolegal tips.

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Training Healthcare Personnel to Better Serve Seniors and Disabled Patients

American Medical Compliance

A survey reveals that falls are the most frequent health issue affecting seniors in long-term care facilities. Interestingly, while 90% of caregivers feel confident in implementing fall prevention measures, only 60% have adequate knowledge to do so effectively. As the aging population grows, so does the demand for specialized healthcare tailored to the unique needs of seniors and individuals with disabilities, posing new challenges and responsibilities for healthcare providers.

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The Role Of Postop CT Scan In Penetrating Trauma

The Trauma Pro

CT scans are commonly used to aid the workup of patients with blunt trauma. They are occasionally useful in penetrating trauma, specifically when penetration into a body cavity is uncertain, and the patient has no hard signs that would send him or her immediately to the operating room. Is there any role for CT in operative penetrating trauma, after the patient has already been to the OR?

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Post-Tonsillectomy Hemorrhage: ReBaked Morsel

Pediatric EM Morsels

Previously, we covered Post-Tonsillectomy Hemorrhage and how we hope that “all bleeding eventually stops: ideally, by means that we have imposed rather than by exhaustion of the patient’s RBC resources.” Since the original morsel ( way back in 2012 ), the literature has shown that there are a few extra ingredients that we can add to our morsel recipe when we care for children with post-tonsillectomy hemorrhage.

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ECG Blog #454 — Look for the "Break".

Ken Grauer, MD

I was sent this ECG recording — and asked for my interpretation of the rhythm in Figure-1. I had little clinical information. QUESTIONS: How was I able to guess the probable correct answer in less than 5 seconds? How was I then able to prove that my guess was correct? Figure-1: The initial ECG in today's case. ( To improve visualization — I've digitized the original ECG using PMcardio ).

EKG/ECG 248
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Out-of-Hospital Intranasal Ketamine as an Adjunct to Fentanyl for the Treatment of Acute Traumatic Pain: A Randomized Clinical Trial

EM Ottawa

Methodology: 4/5 Usefulness: 2/5 McMullan JT, et al. Ann Emerg Med. 2024 Oct;84(4):363-373. doi: 10.1016/j.annemergmed.2024.04.018. Question and Methods: This out of hospital, placebo-controlled, blinded, parallel group RCT compared reduction in pain scores between Fentanyl + IN Placebo and Fentanyl with IN Ketamine. Findings: There was no significant difference in reduction of pain scores or adverse […] The post Out-of-Hospital Intranasal Ketamine as an Adjunct to Fentanyl for the Treatme

Hospitals 121
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EM@3AM: Murine Typhus

EMDocs

Authors: Grant Gerstner, DO (EM Resident Physician, San Antonio, TX); Kyle Smiley, MD (EM Resident Physician, San Antonio, TX) // Reviewed by: Sophia Görgens, MD (EM Physician, BIDMC, MA); Cassandra Mackey, MD (Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine, UMass Chan Medical School); Alex Koyfman, MD (@EMHighAK) Welcome to EM@3AM, an emDOCs series designed to foster your working knowledge by providing an expedited review of clinical basics.

EMS 94
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JC: Small versus Large-Bore Thoracostomy for Traumatic Hemothorax.

St. Emlyn

St.Emlyn's - Emergency Medicine #FOAMed Traditionally, large-bore chest tubes have been standard for managing hemothorax, but smaller tubes are now proving just as effective in stable patients, with added benefits like reduced pain and fewer tube days. This review explores outcomes in drainage efficacy, complication rates, and patient comfort, showing that small-bore thoracostomy may be a reliable alternative for non-emergent cases.

Outcomes 117
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Probiotics don’t improve outcomes in children with acute gastroenteritis

PEMBlog

Introduction Acute gastroenteritis affects millions of children in the U.S. every year, leading to emergency department visits and hospitalizations. Probiotics, particularly Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG), have been commonly used as a treatment, but evidence supporting their effectiveness has been limited. A new study conducted by the Pediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network (PECARN) aimed to determine whether LGG could reduce the severity of gastroenteritis in children.

Outcomes 105
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Which patient needs a CT scan?

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

Which patient needs a CT Scan? Case 1: 20-something woman with chest pain Case 2: 50-something man with chest pain Case 1 A 20-something yo woman presented in the middle of the night with severe crushing chest pain. It had begun 4 hours before arrival and was initially dull, but became severe and "unbearable" 2 hours prior to arrival. She was a walk-in at triage.

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IV versus IO for cardiac arrest (PARAMEDIC3 and IVIO)

First 10 EM

In the most recent BroomeDocs podcast, we talk about an attempt to use the IM route to give cardiac arrest victims epinephrine faster. (The podcast and Research Roundups blog post might actually come out next week.) I was skeptical about the outcomes, partly because the evidence that epinephrine helps at all in cardiac arrest is […] The post IV versus IO for cardiac arrest (PARAMEDIC3 and IVIO) appeared first on First10EM.

Research 136
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How to Best Inspect, Protect, and Dress Wounds in the Emergency Dept.

ACEP Now

This is the second visit in two weeks for an elderly gentleman who is concerned about his legs being red and swollen. During the first visit, he was diagnosed with cellulitis and placed on cephalexin. Today, he notes worsening swelling and a blister forming near his left ankle. The pain makes it difficult for him to ambulate unassisted through his home.

Burns 97
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Semaglutide (Wegovy) Is Not a Knee Pain Drug

Sensible Medicine

Nearly a thousand news outlets covered the recent publication of the positive results of the STEP-9 trial of semaglutide vs placebo for the treatment of knee pain due to osteoarthritis in patients with obesity. Twitter overflowed with positive messages after the New England Journal of Medicine publication. I am not sold on the trial. STEP-9 had many flaws but one fatal flaw.

Outcomes 142
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Incidental Appendectomy During Trauma Laparotomy?

The Trauma Pro

The debate over incidental appendectomy has waxed and waned over the years. And for the most part, it has nearly permanently waned in general surgical cases for now. But every once in a while, I am asked about incidental appendectomy during trauma laparotomy. Is it a good idea? What reasons could there possibly be for doing it? In the old days, we would frequently do an incidental appendectomy because… well, just because we were there.

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Rebaked Morsel: Pediatric Buckle and Greenstick Forearm Fractures

Pediatric EM Morsels

Trauma season is at hand and like all other pediatric emergency departments in the country, we find our ED breaking ( pun intended ) at the seams with orthopedic injuries. We see all different flavors of upper extremity injuries. Yes, we’re talking about your clavicular , proximal humeral, supracondylar, lateral condylar , scaphoid and metacarpal fractures.

Fractures 293
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ECG Blog #422 — Was Clubbing an ECG Hint?

Ken Grauer, MD

I was sent the ECG in Figure-1 — with the following history: The patient is a young man in his early 20s — who presents to the ED ( E mergency D epartment ) because of SOB ( S hortness O f B reath ) that had been ongoing for several hours. No chest pain. He reports a number of similar previous episodes over the past few years ( although apparently has not been formerly evaluated for this ).

EKG/ECG 469
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SGEM#462: Spooky Scary Access – IV or IO for OHCA

The Skeptics' Guide to EM

Date: November 10, 2024 Reference: Couper et al. The Paramedic 3 Trial: A randomized clinical trial of drug route in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. October 31, 2024 NEJM Access to the SGEM Podcast episode at this LINK. Guest Skeptic: Missy Carter is a PA currently practicing in critical care after having attended the University of Washington's MEDEX program.