The American journal of emergency medicine
-
Review Meta Analysis
Fascia iliaca block for hip fractures in the emergency department: meta-analysis with trial sequential analysis.
Fascia iliaca block (FICB) has been used to reduce pain and its impact on geriatric patients with hip fractures. ⋯ FICB is associated with significant pain relief both at rest and on movement lasting up to 4 h as well as a reduction in opioid requirement and associated nausea and vomiting in geriatric patients with hip fracture. However, the quality of evidence is low and additional trials are necessary.
-
To synthesize evidence of the use of near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) to detect intracranial hemorrhage in traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients. ⋯ For patients with TBI, a NIRS test may be useful as a screening tool for intracranial hemorrhage, especially at the prehospital level. Negative results may help rule out intracranial hemorrhage and may remove the need for more head computed tomography (CT) scanning. Prehospital testing may guide the decision of whether the patient should be transferred to a craniotomy-equipped specialized hospital. NIRS can also be useful in situations when CT is not available. For future research, a significant objective is to show whether the effects of NIRS can improve outcomes and lead to meaningful improvements in clinical practice and decision making.
-
Suicide rates in the United States rose 35.2% from 1999-2018. As emergency department (ED) providers often have limited training in management of suicidal patients and minimal access to mental health experts, clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) may improve care for these patients. However, clinical practice guidelines that do not adhere to quality standards for development may be harmful both to patients, if they promote practices based on flawed evidence, and to ED providers, if used in malpractice claims. In 2011, the Institute of Medicine created standards to determine the trustworthiness of CPGs. This review assessed the adherence of suicide prevention CPGs, intended for the ED, to these standards. Secondary objectives were to assess the association of adherence both with first author/organization specialty (ED vs non-ED) and with inclusion of recommendations on substance use, a potent risk factor for suicide. ⋯ Most suicide prevention CPGs intended for the ED are written by non-ED first authors or organizations and have low adherence to quality standards. Future CPGs should be developed with more scientific rigor, include a multidisciplinary writing group, and be created by authors working in the practice environment to which the CPG applies.
-
COVID19 has raised concerns for resource allocation across various sectors of healthcare. At the frontlines, emergency departments are required to triage a wide range of acuity and non-specific symptomology. ⋯ Laboratory studies that otherwise are more commonly conducted inpatient, including markers of inflammation, tissue damage, and infection, may be useful in disposition planning of ED patients in conjunction with clinical correlation of presentation and chest imaging.
-
Foreign body(FB) ingestion in the upper digestive tract is a common emergency that lacks sufficient attention in adult population. Improper management may bring additional injuries and financial burdens to patients. This review was performed to determine the clinical characteristics of upper gastrointestinal FBs, including the demographic of adult patients, the type and location of FBs, underlying diseases of patients and other risk factors, and outcomes. ⋯ A total of 1391 patients were included. 736 (52.9%) patients were males and 655 (47.1%) were females. Fish bone was the most common type of FBs. Esophagus accounts for the most location in the upper digestive tract. 18.2% (235/1291) patients had the underlying diseases, and 11.7% (58/494) had other risk factors. The overall complication rate was 4.5% (63/1391).