The American journal of emergency medicine
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Review Case Reports
Emergency department approach to gastric tube complications: A case report and review of the literature.
Nasogastric and orogastric tubes (NGT/OGT) are commonly used in emergency and critical care settings, with indications including medicinal administration, gastric decompression, and enteral feeding. Previous studies have highlighted a variety of complications associated with tube placement. These range from minor occurrences such as nose bleeds and sinusitis, to more severe cases highlighting tracheobronchial perforation, tube knotting, asphyxia, pulmonary aspiration, pneumothorax, and even intracranial insertion. ⋯ Here we present a case involving a 60-year-old male who was brought to the ED and suffered a right sided pneumothorax (PTX) following improper OGT placement. In this case, air insufflation was utilized, but was ineffective in detecting the properly placed tube; leakage of an endotracheal tube cuff served as a lead for misplacement while imaging was conducted. The purpose of this study is not only to highlight the numerous complications that are possible with NGT and OGT placement, but also to propose the use of multiple bedside tests (pH testing, CO2 detection, POCUS) as an alternative to radiographic imaging to increase sensitivity and specificity for detection of improperly placed tubes.
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Drowning is a leading cause of preventable mortality and morbidity in children. Its high fatality rate and frequent severe sequelae (e.g. brain damage and permanent loss of functioning) place a premium on preventive efforts. ⋯ This study identified high-risk populations and periods for drowning, the importance of supervision, and the effectiveness of immediate intervention in reducing unfavorable outcomes after drowning. It also highlights a need for heightened local intervention for drowning prevention.
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An emergency physician (EP) is often the first health care provider to evaluate, resuscitate, and manage a critically ill patient. In recent years, the annual hours of critical care delivered in emergency departments across the United States has steadily increased. From 2006 to 2014, emergency department (ED) visits for critically ill patients increased approximately 80%. ⋯ This review summarizes important articles published in 2019 pertaining to the resuscitation and care of select critically ill patients. We chose these articles based on our opinion of the importance of the study findings and their application to emergency medicine. The following topics are covered: sepsis, rapid sequence intubation, mechanical ventilation, neurocritical care, post-cardiac arrest care, and ED-based ICUs.
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Epinephrine is recommended in contemporary educational efforts by the American Heart Association (AHA) as central to adult Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS). However, the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR) 2019 recommendations update describes large evidentiary gaps for epinephrine use in cardiopulmonary resuscitation, highlighting that clinical and experimental evidence do not support the current AHA recommendations. ⋯ Despite years of use and inclusion in resuscitation guidelines, epinephrine is not associated with improved neurologic outcomes. The AHA Emergency Cardiovascular Care committee should revise ACLS guidelines reflecting evidence that standard-dose epinephrine offers little benefit to successful patient recovery including neurologic outcomes. Future resuscitation guidelines should reflect this important consideration.