American family physician
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Pediatric office emergencies occur more commonly than is usually perceived by family physicians, and most offices are not optimally prepared to deal with these situations. Obtaining specific training in pediatric emergencies and performing mock "codes" to check office readiness can improve the proper handling of pediatric emergencies. Common airway emergencies include foreign-body aspiration and croup. ⋯ Status epilepticus is the most common neurologic emergency. Avoidance of iatrogenic respiratory depression and hypotension can be optimized by taking an algorithmic approach to the use of anticonvulsant medications. Transport of patients after initial stabilization of an emergency should always be done in a manner that provides adequate safety and monitoring.
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American family physician · Jun 2000
ReviewThe painful shoulder: part II. Acute and chronic disorders.
Fractures of the humerus, scapula and clavicle usually result from a direct blow or a fall onto an outstretched hand. Most can be treated by immobilization. Dislocation of the humerus, strain or sprain of the acromioclavicular and sternoclavicular joints, and rotator cuff injury often can be managed conservatively. ⋯ Rotator cuff tears are often hard to diagnose because of muscle atrophy that impairs the patient's ability to perform diagnostic maneuvers. Chronic shoulder problems usually fall into one of several categories, which include impingement syndrome, frozen shoulder and biceps tendonitis. Other causes of chronic shoulder pain are labral injury, osteoarthritis of the glenohumeral or acromioclavicular joint and, rarely, osteolysis of the distal clavicle.