International Journal of Emergency Medicine

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BACKGROUND: Type C pelvic fractures (AO/OTA) are severe injuries that frequently lead to bleeding and hemodynamic instability. Pelvic binders play a crucial role in their initial management. Placement at the correct level in the prehospital setting is challenging. The aim of this study was to compare two pelvic binders regarding their effectiveness in reducing intrapelvic volume and increasing intrapelvic pressure in patients with type C pelvic fractures (AO/OTA) when applied at three different levels...

Catheter-related suppurative thrombophlebitis (CRST) is a complication of catheter-related bloodstream infection (CRBSI). The microbiology of CRST is similar with the microbiology of CRBSI, but Clostridium perfringens that causes gas gangrene is a rare pathogen of CRBSI and CRST. We present a case of catheter-related gas-forming suppurative thrombophlebitis due to Clostridium perfringens infection. Gas-forming thrombus around the catheter can be useful findings for the early diagnosis of catheter-related clostridial thrombophlebitis...

BACKGROUND: Expertise in toxicology is essential for acute care providers, as intoxicated patients frequently present to Emergency Departments. These patients can be challenging for care providers because they often present with uncertain substance exposure and unknown dose and timing of these exposures. METHODS: The Dutch Society of Emergency Physicians has developed an mnemonic to support treating physicians in a structured approach for the management of (undifferentiated) intoxicated patients...

BACKGROUND: Our institution has longstanding post-graduate education and training partnership programs in Emergency Medicine (EM) across India. A programmatic challenge has been the integration and uptake of evidence-based medicine and lifelong learning concepts. Formative assessment (FA) is intended to enable learners to monitor learning, identify strengths and weaknesses, and target areas of growth. As part of a program improvement initiative, we introduced an online FA tool to existing summative assessments...

Preparedness to endure extreme situations such as natural disasters or military conflicts is not commonplace in healthcare training programs. Moreover, multidisciplinary teams in health services rarely (if ever) include experts in security. However, when emergency situations occur, prevailing healthcare demands do not cease to exist, and unexpected demands often surge due to the shortage of other services and supplies or as a consequence of the emergency condition itself.With services in 45 countries, AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) has operated in several conflict zones, facing broad and challenging security demands...

BACKGROUND: Empyema is uncommon owing to antibiotic use but still affects patient health if not treated. Hiccups as the initial symptom of empyema are rare; however, empyema should be considered if a patient has persistent hiccups with unexplained fever. CASE PRESENTATION: We present a case of persistent hiccups, left upper quadrant abdominal pain, and fever on day 1, and total left lung white-out and empyema on day 3. The hiccups resolved gradually after antibiotic treatment and surgical decortication...

BACKGROUND: In the rapid development in prehospital medicine the awareness of the many challenges in prehospital care is important as it highlights which areas need improvement and where special attention during education and training should be focused. The purpose of this study is to identify challenges that physicians face when working in the prehospital environment. The research question is thus; what challenges do physicians face when working in prehospital care? METHOD: This is a qualitative study with an inductive approach and is based on individual interviews...

BACKGROUND: Dexmedetomidine is a sedative drug with a wide safety margin. CASE PRESENTATION: We present a case of accidental iatrogenic dexmedetomidine overdose in an adult patient during high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) treatment. This is the first case report of an adult patient receiving an intravenous push of dexmedetomidine. Overdose resulted in severe oversedation, but symptoms receded spontaneously over time. CONCLUSIONS: Dexmedetomidine overdoses are infrequent, and they are usually the result of an administration error...

BACKGROUND: The use of mechanical chest compression devices on patients in cardiac arrest has not shown benefits in previous trials. This is surprising, given that these devices can deliver consistently high-quality chest compressions without interruption. It is possible that this discrepancy is due to the no-flow time (NFT) during the application of the device. In this study, we aimed to demonstrate a reduction in no-flow time during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) with mechanical chest compression devices following 10 min of structured training in novices...

BACKGROUND: Carbon Monoxide (CO) is one of the most common environmental causes of acute intoxication globally. It can lead to the development of Delayed Neuropsychiatric Sequelae (DNS) which may develop in 2-40 days after remission of acute CO poisoning. DNS is defined by recurrent-transient neurological, cognitive, or psychological manifestations. This study was intended to describe the demographics and characteristics of CO poisoning patients attending at the Emergency Department (ED) and assess the association between CO intoxication and the development of DNS in a tertiary hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia...

BACKGROUND: Unintentional falls are common among the elderly and given the expected increase of the aging population, these falls contribute to a high number of admissions to the emergency department. Relatively low-energy trauma mechanisms can lead to serious injuries in the elderly, with contributing factors being comorbidities, medication use and degenerative abnormalities. CASE PRESENTATION: A 94-year-old female suffered an unintentional fall at home. Upon arrival of the ambulance at her house she was hemodynamically stable and mobilized to the gurney with assistance...

In recent decades, opioid overdoses have increased dramatically in the United States and peer countries. Given this, emergency medicine physicians have become adept in reversing and managing complications of acute overdose. However, many remain unfamiliar with initiating medication for opioid use disorder such as buprenorphine, a high-affinity partial opioid agonist. Emergency department-based buprenorphine initiation is supported by a significant body of literature demonstrating a marked reduction in mortality in addition to increased engagement in care...

BACKGROUND: Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TC) is an emergency cardiovascular disease, with clinical and paraclinical manifestations similar to acute myocardial infarction (AMI), but it is characterized by reversible systolic dysfunction of the left ventricle (LV) in the absence (most of the time) of obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD). MANAGEMENT OF PATIENTS WITH TC: TC seems to be more frequent in post-menopausal women and it is triggered by emotional or physical stress...

According to the World Health Organization's (WHO) Emergency Care Systems Framework, triage is an essential function of emergency departments (EDs). This practice innovation article describes four strategies that have been used to support implementation of the WHO-endorsed Interagency Integrated Triage Tool (IITT) in the Pacific region, namely needs assessment, digital learning, public communications and electronic data management.Using a case study from Vila Central Hospital in Vanuatu, a Pacific Small Island Developing State, we reflect on lessons learned from IITT implementation in a resource-limited ED...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

BACKGROUND: Monkshood, a toxic plant containing a potent cardio- and neurotoxin called aconitine, can lead to a range of symptoms, including nausea, vomiting, dizziness, seizures, and cardiac arrhythmias. Mortality associated with this intoxication are due to ventricular tachyarrhythmias which are difficult to treat and often refractory in nature. CASE PRESENTATION: We present a case of a 17-year-old female patient who presented to the emergency department after intentionally ingesting a monkshood plant and developed atrioventricular dissociation and frequent ventricular ectopy...

BACKGROUND: Aluminum phosphide is a commonly used pesticide, particularly in developing countries where uncontrolled insecticides and pesticides are commonly prevalent. Mortalities have been reported due to accidental and suicidal exposures to aluminum phosphide. To date, there has been no reported mortality case of aluminum phosphide in Lebanon. In addition, there is no specific antidote for aluminum phosphide toxicity and the treatment is mainly supportive. This is why awareness should be spread about this case to include it in the differential diagnoses and enhance prompt management and response in future encounters...

In 2021, a large urban university-based hospital transitioned to a new two-floor emergency department. Despite the new environment, there were usability and workflow challenges with the space. The authors of this paper created a multidisciplinary, human-centered design collaborative of clinicians, university faculty, and students in an effort to increase emergency department efficiency. After thorough design-research and clinician-focused collaboration, the authors and design team identified the need to improve medical supply retrieval time, which directly impacts patient care and clinician satisfaction...

BACKGROUND: Despite constituting 14% of the general population, older adults make up almost a quarter of all emergency department (ED) visits. These visits often do not adequately address patient needs, with nearly 80% of older patients discharged from the ED carrying at least one unattended health concern. Many interventions have been implemented and tested in the ED to care for older adults, which have not been recently synthesized. METHODS: A systematic review was conducted to identify interventions initiated in the ED to address the needs of older adults...