Emergency medicine clinics of North America
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This article presents an overview of facial wound management, beginning with a brief review of basic anatomy of the head and face as it relates to wound care. Basic wound management is discussed, and techniques for repairing specific cosmetically high-risk areas of the face, particularly the eyes, lips, and ears, are reviewed. Also described are the proper techniques for the management of an auricular hematoma.
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Regional nerve blocks of the face are important skills every emergency physician ought to know. Facial anesthesia improves cosmetic outcomes, reduces pain, and improves patient satisfaction. Understanding the anatomy of the head and face is essential to the application of regional anesthesia, and this anatomy will be reviewed in depth. By completion of this article, physicians should appreciate the basics of the various nerve blocks of the head and face to repair any laceration.
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Salivary gland disorders are uncommon in the emergency department setting. Given the vast differential that spans infectious, autoimmune, neoplastic, and metabolic processes, they can pose a diagnostic challenge even to skilled clinicians. There is a paucity of evidence-based data regarding the management of these disorders with frequent incongruence between specific sources. Although by no means exhaustive or absolute, this article reconciles existing literature and serves as a concise and informative guide to salivary gland disorders encountered by the emergency care practitioner.
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Emerg. Med. Clin. North Am. · May 2013
ReviewEmergency evaluation and management of the sore throat.
Although sore throat is a very common complaint in the emergency department and is often associated with benign conditions, such as pharyngitis, it can be the early onset of something much more serious and even life threatening. A thorough history and examination are vital to the correct diagnosis but a high index of suspicion must be maintained to diagnose less common but serious pathology, such as epiglottitis and retropharyngeal abscess. Airway management is paramount to survival, and aggressive means should be taken early when epiglottitis is considered.
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Emergency physicians should be comfortable treating most dental and related infections. In this article, we outline recommended techniques to perform a dental examination, explore common pathologies, recommend pain and antibiotic management strategies and review common pitfalls. How to avoid overprescribing opioid analgesics is discussed in depth, along with recent studies to support this strategy.