The American journal of emergency medicine
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Randomized Controlled Trial
The effects of proximal and distal routes of intraosseous epinephrine administration on short-term resuscitative outcome measures in an adult swine model of ventricular fibrillation: a randomized controlled study.
It is unknown if the anatomical distance of intraosseous (i.o.) epinephrine injection from the heart affects resuscitative outcome. The purpose of this study was to explore the relationships between the anatomical distance of i.o. epinephrine injection and measures of resuscitative outcome in an adult swine model of ventricular fibrillation (VF). ⋯ The anatomical distance of i.o. epinephrine injection from the heart did not affect short-term measures of resuscitative outcome in an adult swine model of VF including the occurrence of ROSC, 30 minute post-ROSC survival, and time to ROSC. Rapidly administered epinephrine, irrespective of route of administration, increased the chance ROSC and survival to 30 minutes post-ROSC would occur in this study.
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Duration of a stay in an emergency department (ED) is considered a measure of quality, but current measures average lengths of stay across all conditions. Previous research on ED length of stay has been limited to a single condition or a few hospitals. We use a census of one state's data to measure length of ED stays by patients' conditions and dispositions and explore differences between means and medians as quality metrics. ⋯ Emergency department length of stay as a measure of ED quality should take into account the considerable variation by condition and disposition of the patient. Emergency department length of stay measurement could be improved in the United States by standardizing its definition; distinguishing visits involving treatment, observation, and boarding; and incorporating more distributional information.
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The study aims to assess if electrocardiographic (ECG) abnormalities could predict the development of neurogenic pulmonary edema (NPE) within 24 hours in cases of spontaneous subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). ⋯ Electrocardiographic abnormalities, especially abnormal Q or QS wave and NSSTTCs, may predict the development of NPE within 24 hours in adult patients with spontaneous SAH.
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We report a case of spontaneous, bilateral Achilles rupture in a 33-year-old man with no specific risk factors. The rupture occurred after a heavy impact during a sports activity, and although the rupture was painful, he was able to mobilize slowly. ⋯ The patient's return to premorbid work and social life was uneventful. A spontaneous rupture in a patient without any predisposing risk factors is uncommon, and for it to occur bilaterally is notably rare.