The American journal of emergency medicine
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Foreign body in the eye is a relatively common emergency department (ED) chief complaint which does not usually lead to ophthalmologic intervention. We report a case of a 35-year-old male with a history of developmental delay who presented to our ED for evaluation of ocular foreign body. His reported foreign body was removed, and subsequently identified as an Ahmed Valve, a device used in the management of glaucoma. ⋯ Even patient presentations for seemingly simple, straightforward chief complaints deserve critical appraisal by emergency clinicians. When suspicions are raised or there is any doubt, specialty consultation should be obtained to ensure patients receive appropriate care and necessary follow up. This is especially true when history and exam are limited by other factors such as developmental delay, incomplete medical history, or altered mental status.
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Trends in upper extremity injuries presenting to emergency departments during the COVID-19 pandemic.
During the emergence of the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic, there were substantial changes in United States (U.S.) emergency department (ED) volumes and acuity of patient presentation compared to more recent years. Thus, the purpose of this study was to characterize the incidence of specific upper extremity (UE) injuries presenting to U.S. EDs during the COVID-19 pandemic and analyze trends across age groups and rates of hospital admission compared to years prior. ⋯ Level III - Retrospective Cohort Study.
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Our study aimed to evaluate whether prehospital endotracheal intubation (ETI) affects the mortality of individuals who sustain traumatic brain injury (TBI) compared with bag-valve mask (BVM) ventilation, as well as to test the interaction effect of ETI on study outcome according to carbon dioxide level. ⋯ Among individuals who experienced severe TBI, prehospital intubation did not have a significant effect on survival outcomes and good functional recovery. Patients exhibiting hypocarbia measured on hospital arrival demonstrated lower survival outcomes in the interaction analysis.
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Little is known about pain trajectories in the emergency department (ED), which could inform the heterogeneous response to pain treatment. We aimed to identify clinically relevant subphenotypes of pain resolution in the ED and their relationships with clinical outcomes. ⋯ We identified three novel pain subphenotypes with distinct patterns in clinical characteristics and patient outcomes. A better understanding of the pain trajectories may help with the personalized approach to pain management in the ED.