Emergency medicine Australasia : EMA
-
Emerg Med Australas · Jun 2023
ReviewReview article: Non-penetrating neck artery dissection in young adults: Not to be missed!
Young adults who present to the ED with neck pain following non-penetrating, seemingly trivial trauma to the neck, are at risk of neck artery dissection and subsequent stroke. Sport-related neck injury is the chief cause. Physical examination may often be unremarkable, and although there may be reluctance to expose young patients to radiation, radiological imaging is central to making a diagnosis of arterial wall disruption. ⋯ Early detection of neck artery dissection will trigger clinical protocols that call for multi-disciplinary team management of this condition. In general, guideline-based recommendation for the management of neck artery dissection involving an intimal flap is by anti-platelet therapy while treatment of neck artery dissection that results in a pseudo-aneurysm or thrombosis is managed by surgical intervention or endovascular techniques. Close follow up combined with antithrombotic treatment is recommended in these individuals, the goal being prevention of stroke.
-
Emerg Med Australas · Jun 2023
Observational StudyIs the Sport Concussion Assessment Tool 5th Edition a useful concussion assessment tool in head-injured patients presenting to the emergency department?
Concussion is a common ED complaint, but diagnosis is challenging as there are no validated objective measures. Use of concussion tools derived from sports medicine is common, but these tools are not well validated in ED settings. The aim of this study was to assess the ability of the Sport Concussion Assessment Tool 5th Edition (SCAT5) to identify concussion in ED patients presenting following head injury. ⋯ The SCAT5 test had a low specificity, was long and was frequently interrupted. We suggest it is not an ideal assessment to use in ED. The PCSS score performed well and was easy to complete. It may be useful as a standalone tool to simplify ED concussion identification.
-
Emerg Med Australas · Jun 2023
Observational StudyClinical characteristics of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander emergency department patients with suspected acute coronary syndrome.
To describe the demographics, presentation characteristics, clinical features and cardiac outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients who present to a regional cardiac referral centre ED with suspected acute coronary syndrome (ACS). ⋯ Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients with suspected ACS have a high burden of traditional cardiac risk factors, regardless of whether they are eventually diagnosed with ACS. These patients may benefit from assessment for coronary artery disease regardless of age at presentation.