Pediatric emergency care
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Pediatric emergency care · Oct 2021
Case ReportsTreatment of Hypothermic Cardiac Arrest in the Pediatric Drowning Victim, a Case Report, and Systematic Review.
Drowning is the second leading cause of death in children. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) has become the criterion standard therapy to resuscitate the hypothermic drowning victim in cardiac arrest. We present our own experience treating 5 children with hypothermic cardiac arrest in conjunction with a systematic review to analyze clinical features predictive of survival. ⋯ Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation is an important resuscitation tool for the hypothermic drowning victim. Hyperkalemia and presenting cardiac rhythm correlate with survival although they are not reasons to end resuscitation. More studies are needed to compare the outcomes in using ECMO for the hypothermic drowning victim.
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Pediatric emergency care · Oct 2021
Craniocervical Dissociation in Pediatric Patients: Pearls and Pitfalls of Diagnosis and Management.
The aims of this study were to document the injury pattern in pediatric traumatic craniocervical dissociation (CCD) and identify features of survivors. ⋯ In pediatric CCD, high-velocity mechanism, cardiac arrest, high Injury Severity Score, and low Glasgow Coma Scale score are associated with mortality. If CCD is correctly managed in the absence of cardiac arrest or traumatic brain or spinal cord injury, children may survive intact.
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Pediatric emergency care · Oct 2021
Unintentional Opioid Ingestions Presenting to a Pediatric Emergency Department.
The purpose of this study was to describe unintentional opioid exposures in young children, including demographics, medical interventions, and clinical outcomes. ⋯ While opioid exposures in young children are a common and potentially life-threatening problem, most children remain asymptomatic. The majority of patients are able to be discharged from the ED after observation, and of those who are admitted, most have favorable outcomes and brief hospital stays. A small number of these patients require considerable medical interventions.
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Pediatric emergency care · Oct 2021
Identification and Characterization of Oral Injury in Suspected Child Abuse Cases: One Health System's Experience.
Accurately differentiating inflicted from accidental injury in infants and toddlers is critical. Many studies have documented characteristics of inflicted bruises, fractures, and head injuries facilitating the development of clinical tools. There are few studies characterizing inflicted oral injuries, and no clinical tools exist. This study identified characteristics that differentiated inflicted from accidental oral injuries in children younger than 24 months. ⋯ Several differences in patient characteristics, trauma history, injury type, and location were identified between the accidental versus SCA groups. A future clinical tool that incorporates age, history of trauma on presentation, tongue injury, and oropharynx bruising may assist medical providers in placing child physical abuse in the differential diagnosis.
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Pediatric emergency care · Oct 2021
ReviewDiagnosis and Acute Management of COVID-19 and Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children.
Most children with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection are asymptomatic or have mild disease. About 5% of infected children will develop severe or critical disease. ⋯ This article is intended for pediatricians, pediatric emergency physicians, and individuals involved in the emergency care of children. It reviews the current epidemiology of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in children, summarizes key aspects of clinical assessment including identification of high-risk patients and manifestations of severe disease, and provides an overview of COVID-19 management in the emergency department based on clinical severity.