Open access emergency medicine : OAEM
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Open Access Emerg Med · Jan 2019
Nasal high flow: physiology, efficacy and safety in the acute care setting, a narrative review.
Nasal high flow (NHF) is a promising novel oxygen delivery device, whose mechanisms of action offer some beneficial effects over conventional oxygen systems. It is considered to have a number of physiological effects: it improves oxygenation, dynamic lung compliance, homogeneity and end expiratory lung volume; it decreases anatomical dead space and generates a positive airway pressure that can reduce respiratory rate, the work of breathing, and enhance patient comfort. NHF has been used as a prophylactic tool or as a treatment device mostly in patients with acute hypoxemic respiratory failure such as pre-oxygenation before intubation, immunocompromised patients and acute heart failure. ⋯ Finally, NHF was deemed to be effective in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients with its positive end expiratory pressure effects and dead-space washout. However, careful monitoring is crucial to maximize NHF settings aimed at maximizing patient comfort while limiting the risk of delayed intubation. The present review presents the most updated evidence for NHF use in the adult acute care setting with the goal of providing clinicians with useful insights on the physiologic effects, main clinical indications, and safety issues of NHF treatment.
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Open Access Emerg Med · Jan 2019
Predictors of survival after emergency department thoracotomy in trauma patients with predominant thoracic injuries in Southern Israel: a retrospective survey.
Introduction: Emergency department thoracotomy (EDT), also termed "resuscitative thoracotomy", is indicated in some cases of life-threatening isolated thoracic injury, or as a part of CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) in multiple trauma patients, or in thoracic trauma patients with massive bleeding (such as intra-abdominal exsanguination or injury to the great vessels). There is a lack of information in the literature concerning predictors of survival after EDT in patients with predominant or isolated thoracic trauma. Patients and methods: The study was retrospective and single-center. ⋯ Six patients (19%) survived until discharge from the hospital: 3 with penetrating injuries and 3 with blunt thoracic injuries. Conclusion: In patients undergoing EDT after thoracic injury we found that the clinical status on admission to the ED, the duration of the EDT procedure and the heart rate at the end of procedure were predictors of survival after EDT. We demonstrated a higher survival rate after EDT in patients with predominant penetrating thoracic trauma.
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Open Access Emerg Med · Jan 2019
Improving fluid resuscitation in pediatric shock with LifeFlow®: a retrospective case series and review of the literature.
Rapid delivery of an intravenous fluid bolus is commonly used in pediatric emergency care for the treatment of shock and hypotension. Early fluid delivery targeted at shock reversal results in improved patient outcomes, yet current methods of fluid resuscitation often limit the ability of providers to achieve fluid delivery goals. ⋯ LifeFlow is currently FDA-cleared for the delivery of crystalloid and colloids. Four cases are presented in which the LifeFlow device was used for emergent fluid resuscitation: a 6-month-old with septic shock, a 2-year-old with intussusception and shock, an 11-year-old with pneumonia and septic shock, and a 15-year-old with trauma and hemorrhagic shock.
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Open Access Emerg Med · Jan 2019
Emergency Medical Services Providers' Knowledge, Practices, And Barriers To Stroke Management.
Many strokes are not recognized by emergency medical services (EMS) providers and many providers do not prenotify emergency departments (EDs) of incoming stroke patients. The objectives of this project were to survey EMS providers to (1) assess knowledge of prehospital care related to stroke identification, time window for intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (IV tPA) administration, and comprehensive stroke centers in our health system, (2) gain insight from EMS providers regarding barriers to providing prenotification, information they provide for a prenotification, and optimal methods of providing feedback, and (3) provide EMS providers with stroke care and management information. ⋯ Deficits in stroke care knowledge among EMS providers were identified. Short transport time, inability to communicate with ED staff, and information lost in dispatch were cited as barriers to providing prenotification. Most EMS providers desire real-time feedback regarding patients via a mobile application.
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Open Access Emerg Med · Jan 2019
Can the emergency department triage category and clinical presentation predict hospitalization of H1N1 patients?
Human H1N1 Influenza A virus was first reported in 2009 when seasonal outbreaks consistently occurred around the world. H1N1 patients present to the emergency departments (ED) with flu-like symptoms extending up to severe respiratory symptoms that require hospital admission. Developing a prediction model for patient outcomes is important to select patients for hospital admission. To date, there is no available data to guide the hospital admission of H1N1 patients based on their initial presentation. ⋯ Lower triage category and increased respiratory rate predict the need for hospital admission of H1N1 infected patients; while patients with dyspnea or bronchial asthma are likely to stay longer in the hospital. Further prospective studies are needed to evaluate the accuracy of using the CTAS and other clinical parameters in predicting hospitalization of H1N1 patients during outbreaks.