The American journal of emergency medicine
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Comparisons of the vertical one-handed chest compressions according to the rescuer's handedness.
The vertical one-handed chest compression (OHCC) technique has demonstrated superior compression power and chest compression depth (CCD) compared to conventional OHCC. This study aimed to determine if a rescuer's handedness influences the CCD during the vertical OHCC. ⋯ While vertical OHCC with a dominant hand generated greater force, the rescuer's handedness did not affect the CCD during the vertical OHCC.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) versus sham TENS in adult ED patients with abdominal pain: A clinical trial.
There is a growing consensus that the risks of current pharmacologic analgesics warrant consideration of alternative modalities for acute and chronic pain control. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) in adult emergency department (ED) patients presenting with abdominal pain. ⋯ Application of TENS to the abdominal wall did not result in more effective pain relief than sham TENS in adult ED patients with abdominal pain.
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Observational Study
Minor head injury in anticoagulated patients: Outcomes and analysis of clinical predictors. A prospective study.
The optimal management of patients taking oral anticoagulants who experience minor head injury (MHI) is unclear. The availability of validated protocols and reliable predictors of prognosis would be of great benefit. We investigated clinical factors as predictors of clinical outcomes and intracranial injury (ICI). ⋯ Previous retrospective studies showed a lot of negative predictive factors for anticoagulated patients suffering a minor head injury. In our prospective study no clinical factors emerged as predictors of poor clinical outcomes and dICI. So, even if we confirmed a low rate of adverse outcomes, the best management of these patients in ED remains not so clear and future trials are needed.
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Spontaneous cervical artery dissection (sCAD) is a serious condition that carries with it a high rate of morbidity and mortality. ⋯ An understanding of sCAD can assist emergency clinicians in diagnosing and managing this potentially deadly disease.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Video-stylet vs. channeled hyperangulated videolaryngoscope: Efficacy in simulated Ludwig's angina randomized cadaver trial.
Ludwig's angina (LA) is a life-threatening infection that can affect the floor of the mouth and neck, potentially causing serious airway obstruction. In such cases, rescue airway management and oxygenation can be challenging due to swelling of the mouth floor, trismus, and limited mouth opening. The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of the Trachway video-stylet (VS) and Pentax AWS hyperangulated videolaryngoscope with channel (HAVL-C) compared to the standard geometric video-laryngoscope (SGVL, Macintosh 3, Trachway) in simulating Ludwig's angina with cadavers. ⋯ In cases of LA, the use of VS and HAVL-C is preferable over SGVL. These findings suggest that using VS and HAVL-C can improve intubation success rates and reduce intubation time in patients with LA.