Emergency medicine Australasia : EMA
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Emerg Med Australas · Sep 2024
Utility of computed tomography brain scans in intubated patients with overdose.
Describe the yield of computed tomography brain (CTB) scans in patients intubated for drug overdose. ⋯ Routine imaging of patients intubated for overdose without clinical indication is unjustified.
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Emerg Med Australas · Sep 2024
Prisoners in the emergency department: Lessons from a recent inquest.
The recent coronial finding in Victoria into the death of Joshua (Josh) Kerr highlights some of the challenges of treating patients who are in custody and under the supervision of custodial staff (prison officers or police) in the ED. Issues include ED clinicians' duty of care, roles and responsibilities of ED staff and custodial staff and the need for processes that facilitate collaboration and communication between ED clinicians and custodial staff.
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Emerg Med Australas · Sep 2024
Hospitalisations for non-specific low back pain in people presenting to South Australian public hospital emergency departments.
The present study sought to investigate predictors of hospitalisation in adults diagnosed with non-specific low back pain (LBP) and/or sciatica from an ED. ⋯ Certain patient characteristics and ED clinical activity are associated with hospitalisations for LBP. Understanding these factors will better inform the design and delivery of appropriate high-quality care.
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Emerg Med Australas · Sep 2024
Associations with early vomiting when using intranasal fentanyl and nitrous oxide for procedural sedation in children: A secondary analysis of a randomised controlled trial.
Intranasal (IN) fentanyl and nitrous oxide (N2O) can be combined to provide procedural sedation and analgesia to children. This combination is advantageous because of rapid onset of action and non-parenteral administration, but is associated with increased vomiting. We sought to describe the associations of demographic and procedural factors with early vomiting when using this combination in children. ⋯ We found that higher doses of IN fentanyl were associated with higher risk of early vomiting when administered with N2O in children. Other factors did not appear to be associated with vomiting.
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Emerg Med Australas · Sep 2024
Trauma system management of adults with severe burns in Victoria, Australia.
The aim of the present study was to examine the profile, management and outcomes of adult patients with severe burns within the Victorian State Trauma System (VSTS). ⋯ Severe burns are uncommon injuries with high mortality. There is a high rate of adherence to VSTS guidelines for managing patients with severe burns, and a decrease in patients requiring transfer associated with an increase in acceptable time to a trauma-receiving hospital. The VSTS operates to deliver almost all patients with severe burns to the definitive burns service efficiently.