Articles

Knowledge translation of the American College of Emergency Physicians’ clinical policy on syncope using computerized clinical decision support

To influence physician practice behavior after implementation of a computerized clinical decision support system (CDSS) based upon the recommendations from the 2007 ACEP Clinical Policy on Syncope.

Authors: Edward R. Melnick, Nicholas G. Genes, Neal K. Chawla, Meredith Akerman, Kevin M. Baumlin and Andy Jagoda

Antipsychotic-induced priapism in an HIV patient: a cytochrome P450-mediated drug interaction

With upwards of 48% of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected persons having a probable psychiatric disorder, the possibility of cross-class drug interactions causing adverse effects or fatalities exists.

Authors: Matthew J. Geraci, Stacey L. McCoy, Paul M. Crum and Rajnikant A. Patel

Time-critical neurological emergencies: the unfulfilled role for point-of-care testing

Neurological emergencies are common and frequently devastating. Every year, millions of Americans suffer an acute stroke, severe traumatic brain injury, subarachnoid hemorrhage, status epilepticus, or spinal c...

Authors: Jason T. McMullan, William A. Knight, Joseph F. Clark, Fred R. Beyette and Arthur Pancioli

Can ABCD² score predict the need for in-hospital intervention in patients with transient ischemic attacks?

The ABCD² score is increasingly being used to triage patients with transient ischemic attack (TIA). Whether the score can predict the need for in-hospital intervention (IHI), other than initiation of antiplatelet...

Authors: Min Lou, Adnan Safdar, Jonathan A. Edlow, Louis Caplan, Sandeep Kumar, Gottfried Schlaug, D. Eric Searls, Richard P. Goddeau and Magdy Selim

Alcohol and injury in Poland: review and training recommendations

Alcohol plays a significant role in accidents, injuries, and their outcomes. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there are 76.3 million people with alcohol use disorders worldwide; in 2000, 1.8 m...

Authors: Piotr Wozniak, Rebecca Cunningham, Sonia Kamat, Kristen L. Barry, Frederic C. Blow and Andrzej S. Zawadzki

Treat the patient by the recognized toxidrome when the ingested herbal juice is non-toxic

This is the case of 63-year-old mother and her 35-year-old daughter who drank herbal juice (Rhizoma Dioscoreae Nipponicae and Ficus formosana Maxim) and then developed diarrhea, cold sweating, and myoclonus. On p...

Authors: Yu-Jang Su and Yen-Chun Lai

The ambulance services in northern Norway 2004–2008: improved competence, more tasks, better logistics and increased costs

The ambulance services in northern Norway have undergone significant development during recent years.

Authors: Jan Norum and Trond M. Elsbak

Spontaneous pneumopericardium in acute asthma

Authors: Mukul P. Agarwal, Subhash Giri, Rajesh Jain and Vishal Sharma

The polony phantom: a cost-effective aid for teaching emergency ultrasound procedures

Central venous access and nerve blockade are essential skills in the practice of emergency medicine, and the utility of emergency ultrasound to guide these procedures has been well demonstrated.

Authors: Mike Wells and Lara Goldstein

Daytime running lights in the USA: what is the impact on vehicle crashes in Minnesota?

Daytime running lights (DRLs) are a safety feature intended to reduce crashes by increasing the contrast between vehicles and the background.

Authors: Michele E. Krajicek and Raquel M. Schears

Is it safe to use propofol in the emergency department? A randomized controlled trial to compare propofol and midazolam

This study examined the safety and effectiveness of the procedural sedation analgesia (PSA) technique carried out in the emergency department (ED) of a university hospital over a period of 1 year. The research...

Authors: Nik Hisamuddin Nik Ab Rahman and Ahmad Hashim

Value of the swimming position and arm traction in visualizing the cervicothoracic junction over the standard lateral cervical X-ray

The cervicothoracic junction (CTJ) is often inadequately visualized on lateral cervical X-rays due to anatomic variations and technical factors.

Authors: Aydin Toksoy, Firat Bektas, Cenker Eken, Kaan Ceken and Yildiray Cete

Diagnosis of enteric fever in the emergency department: a retrospective study from Pakistan

Enteric fever is one of the top differential diagnoses of fever in many parts of the world. Generally, the diagnosis is suspected and treatment is initiated based on clinical and basic laboratory parameters.

Authors: Uzma Rahim Khan, Junaid A. Razzak, Ali Faisal Saleem, Adnan Ahmed and Sabeena Jalal

International Federation for Emergency Medicine model curriculum for medical student education in emergency medicine

There is a critical and growing need for emergency physicians and emergency medicine resources worldwide. To meet this need, physicians must be trained to deliver time-sensitive interventions and life-saving e...

Authors: Cherri Hobgood, Venkataraman Anantharaman, Glen Bandiera, Peter Cameron, Pinchas Halpern, C. James Holliman, Nicholas Jouriles, Darren Kilroy, Terrence Mulligan and Andrew Singer

Unexpected death from a colloid cyst

Colloid cysts are usually benign brain tumors, which rarely cause acute neurological deterioration with sudden death due to an acute increase of intracranial pressure. So far, the final pathophysiology and cli...

Authors: Christian Hohenstein and Steffen Herdtle

Unusual cause of severe toxic methemoglobinemia in an infant: a case report

Toxic methemoglobinemia is an uncommon blood disorder induced by exposure to certain oxidizing agents and drugs. In severe cases, this condition may rapidly lead to major cardiopulmonary compromise and constit...

Authors: Asma Bouziri, Ammar Khaldi, Khaled Menif and Nejla Ben Jaballah

Accidental tramline bruising and rib fractures

Authors: Giles N. Cattermole

Perceived confidence in the FAST exam before and after an educational intervention in a developing country

Trauma care in developing countries suffers from many limitations related to equipment shortages, disrepair, quality assurance, and lack of training. Health care providers in the three principal hospitals in C...

Authors: Andre K. Crouch, Matthew Dawson, Deanne Long, Derrick Allred and Troy Madsen

Medical student disaster medicine education: the development of an educational resource

Disaster medicine education is an enormous challenge, but indispensable for disaster preparedness.

Authors: Ernst G. Pfenninger, Bernd D. Domres, Wolfgang Stahl, Andreas Bauer, Christine M. Houser and Sabine Himmelseher

Improving trauma care in India: a recommendation for the implementation of ATLS training for emergency department medical officers

Trauma is major cause of morbidity and mortality in India. The Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) programme teaches a standardised method for the initial assessment and management of trauma patients, and has ...

Authors: Robert James Douglas, B. Vasanthi, Andrew J. A. Giles and G. Anand Kumar

Mortality in patients with loss of consciousness at the scene of trauma

The aim of this study was to evaluate if loss of consciousness at the scene of an accident in patients with thoracic trauma classified by the Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) as thorax >2 has a different outcome...

Authors: André Luciano Baitello, Francisco de Assis Cury, Paulo César Espada, Rogério Yukio Morioka and José Maria Pereira de Godoy

Lessons from the recent case of CO poisoning due to shisha (hookah, narghile) tobacco smoking in Singapore

Authors: Kamal Chaouachi

Nail gun penetrating injury of the heart mimicking an acute coronary syndrome

We describe the case of a 75-year-old man admitted to hospital for chest pain and syncope. Physical examination was normal with evidence of a very small wound on the left chest. Considering the presence of mul...

Authors: Chiara Comoglio, Fabrizio Sansone, Massimo Boffini, Marco Ribezzo and Mauro Rinaldi

Learner perception of oral and written examinations in an international medical training program

There are an increasing number of training programs in emergency medicine involving different countries or cultures. Many examination types, both oral and written, have been validated as useful assessment tool...

Authors: Sean P. Kelly, Scott G. Weiner, Philip D. Anderson, Julie Irish, Greg Ciottone, Riccardo Pini, Stefano Grifoni, Peter Rosen and Kevin M. Ban

Spontaneous intraperitoneal hemorrhage as the initial presentation of a gastrointestinal stromal tumor: a case report

Spontaneous hemoperitoneum is rare. The most common etiologies are gynecologic, splenic, and hepatic. Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are commonly associated with intraluminal bleeding, but rarely with...

Authors: Benjamin B. Freeman, Jonathan F. Critchlow, Steven Cohen and Jonathan A. Edlow

Initial management of potential occult scaphoid fracture in Australasia

To characterise current management of adult patients with possible occult scaphoid fracture in Australasian emergency departments.

Authors: Anne-Maree Kelly

Severe abdominal pain as a result of acute gastric volvulus

Authors: Stylianos Germanos, Stavros Gourgiotis, Mahmud Saedon, Dimitrios Lapatsanis and Nikolaos S. Salemis

Emergency medicine in Oman: current status and future challenges

The Sultanate of Oman has a relatively young national health care system that could demonstrate its high performance at an international level. Emergency medicine as a specialty has developed rapidly in the co...

Authors: Nasser Hammad Al-Azri

Addition of levalbuterol to a pediatric emergency department automated medication management system does not increase its use

Although adding a drug to an emergency department-based automated medication management system is known to increase how frequently it is ordered, little is known about this effect when the added drug does not ...

Authors: Gregory P. Conners, Daniel P. Hays, Thomas Richardson and Frank L. Zwemer

Activated prothrombin complex concentrate factor VIII inhibitor bypassing activity (FEIBA) for the reversal of warfarin-induced coagulopathy

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a new, fixed, yet individualized dosing regimen of activated prothrombin complex concentrate factor VIII inhibitor bypassing activity (FEIBA) for ...

Authors: Cezary Wójcik, Michelle L. Schymik and Eric G. Cure

The coffee bean sign

Authors: Brian Darryl Moseley and Anjali Bhagra

Tracheal rupture after emergency endotracheal intubation

Authors: Giovanni Volpicelli, Luciano Cardinale and Francesco Ardissone

Reducing alcohol-related harm: the untapped potential of pre-hospital care workers

Authors: Marita Lynagh, Rob Sanson-Fisher and Anthony Shakeshaft

Mode of arrival does not predict myocardial infarction in patients who present to the ED with chest pain

This study aims to determine if patients who arrive by ambulance with a chief complaint of chest pain have a higher risk of myocardial infarction (MI) than those who arrive via alternate transportation.

Authors: Scott G. Weiner, John T. Wu, Preety Bhatti and Jessica D. Goetz

Right eye pain

Authors: Yu-Ming Weng, Hung-Jung Lin and Wei-Jing Lee

Is a postintubation chest radiograph necessary in the emergency department?

Postintubation chest X-rays (CXR) are standard practice in emergency department (ED) intubations. In the operating room, it is not usually a standard practice to confirm endotracheal tube placement with a CXR.

Authors: Daniel C. McGillicuddy, Matthew R. Babineau, Jonathan Fisher, Kevin Ban and Leon D. Sanchez

Lumbar punctures: use and diagnostic efficiency in emergency medical departments

Lumbar punctures (LP) are regularly and effortlessly used in the emergency medical departments (EMD). LP use and efficiency have not been fully explored in the published literature.

Authors: Bilal Majed, Hélène Zephir, Valérie Pichonnier-Cassagne, Yazdan Yazdanpanah, Philippe Lestavel, Pierre Valette and Patrick Vermersch

Orbital pseudotumor

Authors: Norma L. Cooney

Emergency department confirmation of peripherally inserted central catheter placement by bedside ultrasound

Authors: Cindy W. Chan and Michael J. Lambert

Administration of analgesics in patients with acute abdominal pain: a survey of the practice of doctors in a developing country

Analgesic use, particularly opioids in the emergency situation in patients with acute abdominal pain, generally has been avoided in the past; however, newer evidence has shown that the practice should be encou...

Authors: Babatunde A. Ayoade, Adedayo O. Tade, Babatunde A. Salami and Olayemi Oladapo

A posterior epidural mass causing paraparesis in a 20-year-old healthy individual

We present a case of a posterior epidural abscess at the thoracic vertebral level causing paraparesia in a young, healthy individual with no otherwise predisposing factors, with normal laboratory findings, as ...

Authors: Tarkan Ergun, Hatice Lakadamyali and Ertan Gokay

Scrofula: emergency department presentation and characteristics

In the US, scrofula is generally uncommon, but it may be the manifestation of disseminated tuberculosis in immunocompromised patients. Given the delay to obtain PPD results, AFB results, and cultures for TB, t...

Authors: Nicolas Forget and Kathryn Challoner

Fournier’s gangrene

Authors: Phoebe S. Y. Cheung and Colin A. Graham

A nail gun injury

Authors: Alisha Perkins and David A. Peak

Pediatric presentation of pulmonic effusion secondary to influenza

Authors: Norma L. Cooney, Derek R. Cooney and Brian Kloss

Traumatic asphyxia: a rare syndrome in trauma patients

Authors: Cenker Eken and Ozlem Yıgıt

Lethal hemothorax following thoracic dislocated spinal fracture: the usefulness of arterial embolization

Authors: Seiji Morita, Tomoatsu Tsuji, Takeshi Yamagiwa, Tomokazu Fukushima and Sadaki Inokuchi

Pediatric presentation of a large intrathoracic mass

Authors: Norma L. Cooney and Derek R. Cooney

Heart block and nonocclusive mesenteric ischemia

Authors: Christopher W. Baugh, Adam C. Levine and Daniel J. Pallin

Analysis of trends in emergency department attendances, hospital admissions and medical staffing in a Hong Kong university hospital: 5-year study

The workload of emergency departments (ED) continually changes in response to presentations, overcrowding and availability of expertise and investigations.

Authors: Abraham K. C. Wai, C. M. Chor, Allen T. C. Lee, Yuwares Sittambunka, Colin A. Graham and Timothy H. Rainer