The American journal of emergency medicine
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To describe the use of computed tomography (CT) and ultrasound (US) imaging for the evaluation of neck infections in pediatric patients in United States emergency departments (EDs). ⋯ Children with neck infections evaluated in general EDs are significantly more likely to undergo CT scans when compared to those evaluated in pediatric EDs. To reduce exposure to radiation in children, we propose the dissemination of US-first protocols in general EDs for the evaluation of pediatric neck infections.
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Identifying older adults with risk for falls prior to discharge home from the Emergency Department (ED) could help direct fall prevention interventions, yet ED-based tools to assist risk stratification are under-developed. The aim of this study was to assess the performance of self-report and functional assessments to predict falls in the 3 months post-ED discharge for older adults. ⋯ We found that self-report and functional assessments lack sufficient accuracy to be used in isolation in the ED. A neural network model using accelerometer features could be a promising modality but research is needed to externally validate these findings.
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Case Reports
Hypoxic respiratory distress potentially secondary to phosphorus trifluoride gas exposure: A case report.
We herein report a rare, probable exposure of a patient to phosphorus trifluoride gas. The objective of this case report is to highlight the potential exposure to phosphorus trifluoride gas and discuss the best management of it. A 48-year-old worker at a specialty gases laboratory was transported to the community Emergency Department (ED) in respiratory distress, presenting with peripheral cyanosis, an unobtainable oxygen saturation, chocolate-colored blood, and a Glasgow coma scale of 15. ⋯ Because the patient continued to require supplemental oxygen to maintain their oxygen saturation above 92%, he was admitted to the ICU and treated with prednisone daily for chemical pneumonitis. After 4 days, he successfully transitioned to room air without hypoxia. While exposures such as this do not occur frequently, it is important to maintain a broad differential and treatment plan as we continue to investigate the etiology and best treatment option.
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Erroneous weight estimation during the management of emergency presentations in adults may contribute to patient harm and poor outcomes. Patients can often not be weighed during emergencies and a weight estimation is required to facilitate weight-based therapies. Many existing methods of weight estimation are either unacceptably inaccurate or very difficult to use during the provision of emergency care. ⋯ The modified PAWPER XL-MAC model proved to be a very accurate method of weight estimation. It is more accurate than most other published reports of existing methods of weight estimation, except for patients' own estimations. It therefore could have a role in facilitating emergency drug dose calculations, if prospective studies bear out the accuracy found in this study.
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Droperidol is a butyrophenone that has recently been reintroduced after a United States Food and Drug Administration (US FDA) black box warning in 2001. Evidence demonstrates utility in a variety of clinical conditions. ⋯ Current evidence suggests that droperidol is a safe and effective medication for treating nausea and vomiting, headache, vertigo, and agitation in the ED setting.