J Emerg Med
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Analgesic Effect of Nitrous Oxide/Oxygen Mixture for Traumatic Pain in the Emergency Department: A Randomized, Double-Blind Study.
Acute pain is the most common complaint in Emergency Department (ED) admissions, and options for analgesia are limited. Nitrous oxide/oxygen possesses many properties showing it may be an ideal analgesic in the ED. ⋯ This study gives supporting evidence for the safety and effectiveness of using self-administered nitrous oxide/oxygen mixture in the ED for moderate-to-severe traumatic pain.
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Patients presenting to emergency departments (EDs) with acute atrial fibrillation or flutter undergo numerous transitions in care (TiC), including changes in their provider, level of care, and location. During transitions, gaps in communications and care may lead to poor outcomes. ⋯ There is low to moderate quality evidence suggesting that within-ED TiC interventions may reduce hospital length of stay and decrease hospitalizations. Additional high-quality comparative effectiveness studies, however, are warranted.
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Diagnosis of acute osteomyelitis in young children can be challenging due to the lack of specific clinical signs and symptoms. Prompt diagnosis and treatment is essential to prevent complications and to improve long-term prognosis and reduce the need for operative intervention. Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) may be a useful tool to detect early changes associated with osteomyelitis. ⋯ A 26-month-old boy presented with 6 days of fever and 3 days of focal pain over the right anterior lower ribs without swelling, erythema, or bony deformity, and negative chest x-ray study. A POCUS was performed by the ultrasound fellows and revealed deep soft tissue swelling, periosteal elevation, and increased vascular flow with color Doppler. The patient was admitted to the pediatric service with infectious disease consultation and started on antibiotics. Magnetic resonance imaging confirmed the diagnosis of a right seventh anterior rib osteomyelitis, and the patient subsequently improved and was discharged home. WHY SHOULD AN EMERGENCY PHYSICIAN BE AWARE OF THIS?: In this case, the use of POCUS in the emergency department heightened the suspicion for acute osteomyelitis in a rare location and guided early diagnosis and treatment.
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Observational Study
Detecting Atrial Fibrillation in the Emergency Department in Patients with Cardiac Implantable Electronic Devices.
Clinical guidelines emphasize identifying atrial fibrillation (AF) as a strategy to reduce stroke risk. Cardiac implantable electronic device (CIED) interrogation at the point of care may facilitate AF detection, increasing opportunities to identify patients at high risk for stroke. ⋯ The use of technology-assisted device interrogation of CIEDs at the point of care has promise in identifying patients with asymptomatic AF. Results suggest consideration of routine device interrogation of CIEDs in the ED, regardless of reason for admission or history of AF.
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Selecting a training program is one of the most challenging choices an applicant to the Match has to make. ⋯ Therefore, in this article we elaborate on the above to facilitate this process for applicants.