BMC emergency medicine
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BMC emergency medicine · Jan 2016
Observational StudyUse of the GlideScope®-Ranger for pre-hospital intubations by anaesthesia trained emergency physicians - an observational study.
Pre-hospital endotracheal intubation is more difficult than in the operating room (OR). Therefore, enhanced airway management devices such as video laryngoscopes may be helpful to improve the success rate of pre-hospital intubation. We describe the use of the Glidescope®-Ranger (GS-R) as an alternative airway tool used at the discretion of the emergency physician (EP) in charge. ⋯ Special expertise and substantial training is needed to successfully accomplish tracheal intubation with the GS-R in the pre-hospital setting. Providers inexperienced with DL as well as video-assisted intubation should not expect to be able to perform tracheal intubation easily just because a videolaryngoscope is available. Additionally, indirect laryngoscopy might be difficult or even impossible to achieve in the pre-hospital setting due to impeding circumstances such as blood, secretions or bright sun-light. Therefore, videolaryngoscopes, here the GS-R, should not be considered as the "Holy Grail" of endotracheal intubation, neither for the experts nor for inexperienced providers.
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BMC emergency medicine · Jan 2016
Observational StudyDiagnostic value of end tidal capnography in patients with hyperglycemia in the emergency department.
Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA) is a potentially life-threatening emergency that requires prompt diagnosis and treatment. In paediatric populations an end tidal capnography value greater than 36 mmHg was found to be 100 % sensitive in ruling out DKA. ⋯ Nasal capnography exhibits favourable diagnostic performance in detecting patients with or without DKA among those who present to the emergency department with a glucometer reading > 550 mg/dL.
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BMC emergency medicine · Jan 2016
Observational StudyDo male and female trauma patients receive the same prehospital care?: an observational follow-up study.
Trauma-related mortality can be lowered by efficient prehospital care. Less is known about whether gender influences the prehospital trauma care provided. The aim of this study was to explore gender-related differences in prehospital trauma care of severely injured trauma patients, with a special focus on triage, transportation, and interventions. ⋯ This study indicated that prehospital prioritization among severely injured late adolescent and adult trauma patients differs between genders. Knowledge of a more diffuse presentation of symptoms in female trauma patients despite severe injury may help to adapt and improve prehospital trauma care for this group.