Emergency medicine clinics of North America
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Emerg. Med. Clin. North Am. · Feb 2020
ReviewThe Emergency Evaluation and Management of Pediatric Extremity Fractures.
Approximately one-third of children sustain a fracture before the age of 16 years; however, their unique anatomy and healing properties often result in a good outcome. This article focuses on the diagnosis and management of pediatric extremity injuries. The article describes the anatomic features and healing principles unique to children and discusses pediatric upper and lower extremity fractures and presents evidence-based and standard practice for their management. Finally, the article describes the conditions under which emergency physicians are likely to miss pediatric fractures by highlighting specific examples and discussing the general factors that lead to these errors.
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Emerg. Med. Clin. North Am. · Feb 2020
ReviewThe Emergent Evaluation and Treatment of Neck and Back Pain.
Neck and back pain are among the most common symptom-related complaints for visits to the emergency department (ED). They contribute to high levels of lost work days, disability, and health care use. ⋯ This article discusses the efficient and effective evaluation, management, and treatment of patients with neck and back pain in the ED. Emphasis is placed on vertebral osteomyelitis, epidural abscess, acute transverse myelitis, epidural compression syndrome, spinal malignancy, and spinal stenosis.
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Emerg. Med. Clin. North Am. · Feb 2020
ReviewRisk Management and Avoiding Legal Pitfalls in the Emergency Treatment of High-Risk Orthopedic Injuries.
Many orthopedic injuries can have hidden risks that result in increased liability for the emergency medicine practitioner. It is imperative that emergency medicine practitioners consider the diagnoses of compartment syndrome, high-pressure injury, spinal epidural abscess, and tendon lacerations in the right patient. Consideration of the diagnosis and prompt referrals can help to minimize the complications these patients often develop.
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Emerg. Med. Clin. North Am. · Feb 2020
ReviewEmergency Orthogeriatrics: Concepts and Therapeutic Considerations for the Geriatric Patient.
Appropriate recognition of the physiologic, psychological, and clinical differences among geriatric patients, with respect to orthopedic injury and disease, is paramount for all emergency medicine providers to ensure they are providing high-value care for this vulnerable population.
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Emerg. Med. Clin. North Am. · Feb 2020
ReviewThe Emergent Evaluation and Treatment of Shoulder, Clavicle, and Humerus Injuries.
Shoulder pain is a common presentation in the emergency department. The list of differential diagnoses is broad. This article summarizes common diagnoses of shoulder pain, including bony, infectious, and connective tissue pathologies and their proper treatment. It also reviews which shoulder pain conditions are emergency diagnoses and need immediate treatment and which diagnoses need conservative management and outpatient follow-up.