The American journal of emergency medicine
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Review Case Reports
Emergency department management of retained rectal foreign bodies.
A plastic toothbrush case was removed from the rectum of a prison inmate in the emergency department using a rigid sigmoidoscope and a fogarty catheter. The patient was subsequently discharged from the emergency department. Previous literature regarding rectal foreign bodies has emphasized inpatient treatment and tended to ignore the potential value of the emergency service. Guidelines for selecting appropriate patients for emergency department management are presented and basic principles for safe outpatient removal are reviewed.
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Out-of-hospital cardiac arrests were studied in Israel from 1984 to 1985. More than 3,500 patients in cardiac arrest received paramedic care. Eighty-three percent of cases were caused by underlying heart disease. ⋯ There was a wide variation in the percent discharged among the 15 paramedic service areas, ranging from 0% to 13%. Factors associated with successful resuscitation included witnessed collapse, rhythm of ventricular fibrillation, short interval from collapse to cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and delivery of advanced cardiac life support, collapse at public location, and bystander initiation of CPR. Improvements in survival are likely to result if CPR is more frequently and promptly initiated and the time to arrival of definitive paramedic care can be improved.
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The developing countries of the world represent a new environment in which to apply the unique expertise and knowledge of emergency medicine. With an understanding of the cultural, political and economic forces that affect health care in developing countries, American emergency physicians should consider collaboration with their counterparts in developing countries in such areas as prehospital care systems, trauma care, disaster management, poison information and management systems, and education related to clinical services, administration, and research methods in emergency medicine. Such collaboration can broaden the field of emergency medicine and fulfill individual humanitarian goals.
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Comparative Study
Pediatric intraosseous infusions: impact on vascular access time.
A 1-year retrospective chart review was performed to evaluate the effect of intraosseous infusions (IO) on the time required to establish vascular access in pediatric patients requiring immediate vascular access for resuscitation. Eighty-one patients were identified, including 29 pulseless and non-breathing and 52 noncardiopulmonary arrest children, who required intravenous fluids or medication for resuscitation. Comparing the results with a previous review, the IO method effectively reduced the time needed to establish vascular access in the arrested group when standard techniques failed, particularly in the child less than 2 years old. ⋯ There were no significant complications related to the IO procedure. Nine (50%) of the patients receiving IO fluids or medication had clinical and/or laboratory evidence that these substances reached the central circulation. Early use of IO infusion in the resuscitation is recommended for not only the arrested patient, but also the critical nonarrested patient requiring immediate vascular access.
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A device designed to augment venous filling by applying a vacuum to the arm during tourniquet application was evaluated in adult patients considered to have difficult peripheral venous access and in need of nonemergent venipuncture or intravenous cannulation. Patients taking medications that affected platelet activity or who had venipuncture attempts within 1 week in the same extremity were excluded. A total of 21 patients (age, 38.8 +/- 15 years; weight, 77.3 +/- 22.5 kg) were studied. ⋯ Seven patients had unsuccessful attempts at venipuncture or intravenous cannulation on the opposite extremity immediately before use of the device. In these 7 patients, subsequent use of the device was 100% successful (p = 0.0003, Fisher's exact test, assuming all attempts using standard techniques would have been unsuccessful). When conventional tourniquets are unsuccessful for venipuncture, the use of the venous distension device may obviate the need for more invasive forms of venous access.