Pediatric emergency care
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Pediatric emergency care · Dec 1995
Lumbar puncture in the clinical evaluation of children with seizures associated with fever.
This study was prospectively conducted to determine the frequency and yield of lumbar punctures performed in children with fever and seizures and to identify the criteria that were used by emergency physicians in selecting patients for this diagnostic procedure. During the five-year period from 1988 to 1992, 200 previously healthy children aged three months to five years were brought consecutively to the pediatric emergency department, after their seizure associated with fever. ⋯ An age less than 18 months, a febrile illness lasting over 48 hours, suspicious symptoms and signs of meningitis, and complex seizure features had significant influence on the decision of performing a lumbar puncture. Most children with meningitis had lethargy, irritability, and vomiting, and all had complex seizure features.
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Pediatric emergency care · Dec 1995
Comparative StudyEvaluation of an end-tidal CO2 detector during cardiopulmonary resuscitation in a canine model for pediatric cardiac arrest.
Our objective was to evaluate a colorimetric end-tidal CO2 detector in a canine model for pediatric cardiac arrest. In a prospective unblinded study, cardiac arrest was induced in 11 anesthetized and paralyzed puppies, weighing 5.0 to 6.1 kg, by clamping the endotracheal tube (ETT) and discontinuing mechanical ventilation. During cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), the detector and the capnometer were connected between the ETT and ventilator tubing. ⋯ A sudden rise in end-tidal CO2 indicated by both the capnometer and the detector occurred at return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) in seven or < 1 minute before ROSC in four animals. This association was significant (P = 0.0009). We conclude that these results demonstrate that, in a canine model for pediatric cardiac arrest, the detector readings correlate with capnometry during CPR and indicate ROSC.