J Emerg Med
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Trauma, pneumothorax, complication of surgery, infection, or malignancy can cause subcutaneous emphysema and although most subcutaneous emphysema cases are self-limited, extensive subcutaneous emphysema can lead to a compromised airway and cardiovascular system. In this report, we described a successful treatment strategy in which subcutaneous angiocatheter insertion was used to relieve the pressure of extensive subcutaneous emphysema. ⋯ An 83-year-old man was received at the emergency department (ED) for recurrent pneumothorax and extensive subcutaneous emphysema. Six 18-gauge angiocatheters were inserted under the thoracic subcutaneous tissue and a noticeable improvement was seen 3 h after angiocatheter insertion. WHY SHOULD AN EMERGENCY PHYSICIAN BE AWARE OF THIS?: Subcutaneous angiocatheter insertion may be a safe and uncomplicated decompression technique to relieve extensive subcutaneous emphysema, particularly in the ED.
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Advance care planning (ACP) benefits emergency department (ED) patients with advanced illness. Although Medicare implemented physician reimbursement for ACP discussions in 2016, early studies found limited uptake. ⋯ Given the low uptake of ACP discussions in ED patients with advanced illness, the ED may be an underused setting for interventions to increase ACP discussions and documentation.
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Mayo Clinic's virtual hybrid hospital-at-home program, Advanced Care at Home (ACH) monitors acute and post-acute patients for signs of deterioration and institutes a rapid response (RR) system if detected. ⋯ The use of an ACH RR team was effective at limiting both escalations back to an ED and hospital readmissions, as 83% of deteriorating patients were successfully stabilized and managed in their homes. Implementing a hospital-at-home RR team can reduce the need for ED use by providing critical resources and carrying out required interventions to stabilize the patient's condition.
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Multicenter Study Observational Study
Return Rates for Opioid versus Nonopioid Management of Patients with Abdominal Pain in the Emergency Department.
Research suggests that opioid treatment for abdominal pain, which comprises a large proportion of patients presenting to the emergency department (ED), may contribute to long-term opioid use without significant benefits with regard to symptom management. ⋯ Patients given opioids for abdominal pain in the ED had 57% increased odds of a return ED visit within 30 days compared with those given only acetaminophen or NSAIDs. This warrants further research on the use of nonopioid analgesics in the ED, especially in patients with anticipated discharge.
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There is broad consensus that resuscitated out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) should receive immediate coronary angiography (CAG); however, factors that guide patient selection and optimal timing of CAG for post-arrest patients without evidence of STEMI remain incompletely described. ⋯ OHCA patients without evidence of STEMI who received early CAG were older and more likely to be male. This group was more likely to have intervenable lesions and receive revascularization.