Emergency medicine clinics of North America
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Emerg. Med. Clin. North Am. · Feb 2000
ReviewEmergency department evaluation and treatment of knee and leg injuries.
The knee is one of the most commonly injured joints in the human body, and, largely because of athletic injuries, they are increasing in frequency in the United States. This article provides a brief overview of knee anatomy, examines radiographic imaging techniques and arthrocentesis of the knee, and discusses injuries specific to the knee. An overview of leg anatomy is also presented, along with discussions of specific fractures common to the leg.
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Emerg. Med. Clin. North Am. · Nov 1999
ReviewEmergency department evaluation and treatment of wrist injuries.
This article provides the emergency physician a thorough understanding of the basic and surface anatomy required to accurately diagnose wrist injuries in the emergency department. Functional and neurologic examinations are discussed in detail as they increase precision in diagnosis. ⋯ For these reasons, the appropriate use of radiographic studies is included. Finally, a rationale for performing conservative mobilization and promptly referring a suspected occult fracture is provided.
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Emerg. Med. Clin. North Am. · Nov 1999
ReviewEmergency department evaluation and treatment of the neck and cervical spine injuries.
In the United States, nearly 5 million patients per year require spinal immobilization. The emergency physician (EP) must be able to efficiently and effectively manage these patients. To do so, the EP must have an understanding of cervical spine anatomy, spinal immobilization techniques, specific injury patterns, optimal imaging studies, and associated injuries and treatment modalities. This article addresses these important issues and discusses other challenges in the management of cervical spine injuries.
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Emerg. Med. Clin. North Am. · Nov 1999
ReviewEmergency department evaluation and treatment of back pain.
Patients with back pain commonly present in the emergency department for evaluation and treatment. Because it is a common syndrome with a generally benign origin, the examiner may overlook markers of serious disease. This article reviews the important historical and physical factors to consider, with an emphasis on the red flags of serious disease. This article also reviews the management of acute lumbosacral strain, sciatica, and disc herniation, cauda equina syndrome and spinal cord compression, and back pain in the patient with a history of cancer.
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Emerg. Med. Clin. North Am. · Nov 1999
ReviewEmergency department evaluation and treatment of hand injuries.
This article focuses on disorders of the hand most commonly presented to the practitioner in an emergency setting. An initial review of functional anatomy is followed by discussions of the clinical findings and treatment of fractures, tendon injuries, infections, nailbed injuries, high-pressure injection injuries, and nerve injuries. The information presented in this article provides a basis for proper evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment of hand injuries.