The American journal of emergency medicine
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The purpose of this study was to determine the accuracy of ultrasound examination of pediatric trauma patients by emergency physicians. Pediatric (age less than 18 years) trauma patients presenting to the emergency department of a level I trauma center were prospectively examined with bedside ultrasound during the secondary survey of their trauma resuscitation. Examinations were performed by emergency medicine residents and attending physicians who had completed an 8-hour course on trauma ultrasonography. ⋯ Ultrasound examinations took an average of 7 minutes and 36 seconds, although this did not take into consideration delays created by interruptions for other diagnostic tests or procedures. An emergency physician and radiologist agreed on blinded interpretations of 83% of the examinations (kappa = 0.56). Bedside ultrasonography is a reliable and rapid method for screening traumatized children for the presence or absence of free fluid in the peritoneum even in the hands of novice sonographers.
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The transportation of critically ill patients requiring mechanical ventilation is recognized as a high-risk and expensive procedure. Approaches have included using manual bag-type valve resuscitators and expensive portable transport ventilators. This study evaluated the effectiveness of the inexpensive portable RespirTech PRO (RTP) gas-powered automatic resuscitator during intrahospital transport of critically ill mechanically ventilated patients. ⋯ This study showed that the portable pressure-cycled RTP also allows safe transportation of mechanically ventilated ICU patients. By analogy, the RTP is potentially useful as an automatic resuscitator for emergency medical care. This RTP is a disposable resuscitator/ventilator device that provides an inexpensive alternative for transporting ventilator-dependent patients.
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Fluid resuscitation of infants and children is a common management problem in prehospital and emergency department care. We present two cases of children who received 5% dextrose in water as the initial resuscitation fluid. Bolus administration of hypotonic fluid contributed to fatal outcomes in these cases. Recommendations are made for eliminating hypotonic fluids as stock items in both the prehospital and emergency department settings.
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Luxatio erecta is an uncommon disorder and presents in a unique, unusual manner. Luxatio erecta is often misdiagnosed as an anterior dislocation. The presentation is unmistakable and classic: the arm hyperabducted and locked above the head. ⋯ Reduction is done with the traction and countertraction maneuver. Once it is reduced the arm is then placed and maintained with a sling in adduction to the chest. Orthopedic referral is required because of the high incidence of rotator cuff injury.