Annals of emergency medicine
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Comment Comparative Study
Performance of the RAD-57 pulse CO-oximeter compared with standard laboratory carboxyhemoglobin measurement.
We assess agreement between carboxyhemoglobin levels measured by the Rad-57 signal extraction pulse CO-oximeter (RAD), a Food and Drug Administration-approved device for noninvasive bedside measurement, and standard laboratory arterial or venous measurement in a sample of emergency department (ED) patients with suspected carbon monoxide poisoning. ⋯ In the range of carboxyhemoglobin values measured in this sample, the level of agreement observed suggests RAD measurement may not be used interchangeably with standard laboratory measurement.
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Tension pneumocephalus is a life-threatening condition that requires rapid recognition and intervention. It usually occurs as an early postoperative complication after neurosurgery or after trauma. ⋯ We present a patient with nontraumatic tension pneumocephalus caused by a scalp fistula from a remote ventriculoperitoneal shunt placed 5 years earlier. This case is unique in that the patient underwent percutaneous aspiration of the tension pneumocephalus as a lifesaving procedure in the emergency department, with complete resolution of her symptoms at 30-day follow-up.
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Review Meta Analysis
Accuracy and quality of clinical decision rules for syncope in the emergency department: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
We assess the methodological quality and prognostic accuracy of clinical decision rules in emergency department (ED) syncope patients. ⋯ The methodological quality and prognostic accuracy of clinical decision rules for syncope are limited. Differences in study design and ECG interpretation may account for the variable prognostic performance of the San Francisco Syncope Rule when validated in different practice settings.