Emergency Medical Minute

Contributor: Travis Barlock MD Educational Pearls:  Large Vessel Occlusion (LVO) is a condition where a clot blocks one of the major blood vessels in the brain, leading to a stroke. What are the vessels that can experience an LVO? Middle Cerebral artery (MCA) Internal Carotid Artery (ICA) Anterior Cerebral Artery (ACA) Posterior Cerebral Arteries (PCA) Basilar Artery (BA) Vertebral Arteries (VA) What are the locations at which a mechanical thrombectomy can be performed as a treatment for an LVO? Distal ICA, M1 or M2 segments of the MCA, A1 or A2 segments of the ACA, and some evidence for the BA. What are the symptoms of LVO? Use the mnemonic FANG-D to remember a few key symptoms: Field Cut (A person loses vision in a portion of their visual field) Aphasia (Difficulty speaking) Neglect (A person may have difficulty paying attention to or acknowledging stimuli on the affected side of their body or in their environment. For example, a person with neglect may deny that their left hand belongs to them) Gaze Deviat

Contributor: Meghan Hurley, MD Educational Pearls:  Two main reasons to choose non-traditional RSI Anatomically challenging airway Physiologically difficult patients: hypoxia, metabolic acidosis, hemodynamic instability Ketamine may help patients remain hemodynamically stable In critical patients, it is important to consider non-traditional RSI medications to improve outcomes References 1. Lyon RM, Perkins ZB, Chatterjee D, Lockey DJ, Russell MQ. Significant modification of traditional rapid sequence induction improves safety and effectiveness of pre-hospital trauma anaesthesia. Crit Care. 2015;19(1). doi:10.1186/s13054-015-0872-2 2. Merelman AH, Perlmutter MC, Strayer RJ. Alternatives to rapid sequence intubation: Contemporary airway management with ketamine. West J Emerg Med. 2019;20(3):466-471. doi:10.5811/westjem.2019.4.42753   Summarized by Jorge Chalit, OMS1 | Edited by Meg Joyce

Contributor: Aaron Lessen, MD Educational Pearls: Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) has been attempted as an adjunct to CPR during cardiac arrest but few studies on outcomes exist  One prior small study stopped early when it showed ECMO with CPR (ECPR) was significantly superior to CPR Recent large, multicenter randomized control study in Netherlands evaluated neurologic outcomes in CPR versus ECPR  At 30 days and 6 months no significant difference between the groups was found  More studies are required determine if certain patients may benefit from ECPR References Belohlavek J, Smalcova J, Rob D, et al. Effect of Intra-arrest Transport, Extracorporeal Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation, and Immediate Invasive Assessment and Treatment on Functional Neurologic Outcome in Refractory Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA. 2022;327(8):737-747. doi:10.1001/jama.2022.1025   Suverein MM, Delnoij TSR, Lorusso R, et al. Early Extracorporeal CPR for Refractory Out-of-Hospital Cardiac

Contributor: Travis Barlock, MD Educational Pearls: Early repolarization a benign EKG pattern that can mimic an anterior STEMI Can be seen in the anterior leads typically in young male patients Can differentiate Early Repolarization vs Anterior STEMI by looking at four variables: Corrected QT interval QRS amplitude in V2 R wave amplitude in V4 ST elevation 60 ms after J point in V3 These four variables can be plugged into a formula (available on MDCalc) Note that a longer QT is more corelated with STEMI   References Macfarlane PW, Antzelevitch C, Haissaguerre M, et al. The Early Repolarization Pattern: A Consensus Paper. J Am Coll Cardiol. Jul 28 2015;66(4):470-7. doi:10.1016/j.jacc.2015.05.033 Smith SW, Khalil A, Henry TD, et al. Electrocardiographic differentiation of early repolarization from subtle anterior ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction. Ann Emerg Med. Jul 2012;60(1):45-56.e2. doi:10.1016/j.annemergmed.2012.02.015   Summarized by Mark O’Brien, MS4 | Edited by John Spartz, MD, & Erik V

Contributor: Aaron Lessen, MD Educational Pearls: Hyperkalemia may cause cardiac arrest  Treatment of suspected hyperkalemic cardiac arrest begins with typical management of cardiac arrest including high-quality CPR, defibrillation if appropriate, and resuscitation medications  Administer calcium products to stabilize cardiac membrane and potassium shifting medications  If ROSC is achieved, initiate dialysis  There are several case reports of patients being dialyzed while CPR is ongoing, with some success   Dialysis during resuscitation may be an appropriate treatment for some patients  References Jackson MA, Lodwick R, Hutchinson SG. Hyperkalaemic cardiac arrest successfully treated with peritoneal dialysis. BMJ. 1996;312(7041):1289-1290. doi:10.1136/bmj.312.7041.1289 Kao KC, Huang CC, Tsai YH, Lin MC, Tsao TC. Hyperkalemic cardiac arrest successfully reversed by hemodialysis during cardiopulmonary resuscitation: case report. Chang Gung Med J. 2000;23(9):555-559. Torrecilla C, de la Serna JL. Hyperkale

Contributor: Meghan Hurley, MD Educational Pearls: Educational Pearls: Dental infections can be categorized into two main groups Infections of the gums Pericoronitis Tooth eruption leading to inflammation/irritation Can progress to an infection Requires pain control, no antibiotics Gingivitis Inflammation of the gums Can lead to an infection requiring antibiotics Abscess (gums) If an infection develops in the gums it can progress to an abscess May require drainage Acute necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis (ANUG) aka Trench Mouth Filmy, grayish discoloration of the gums with “punched out” lesions Extremely painful Can cause teeth to loosen and fall out Treat with IV antibiotics + admission Infections of the teeth Dental caries Causes sensitivity tooth enamel is worn through Can lead to infection Periapical abscess Abscess that extends through the root of the tooth Can develop up elsewhere in tooth/gums/mouth Causes tooth sensitivity when tapped Ludwig angina Infection of the soft tissue under t

Contributor: Jared Scott, MD Educational Pearls: Commotio cordis is sudden ventricular fibrillation precipitated by direct impact to the chest  A national registry, US Commotio Cordis Registry, reports an average of 10-20 cases annually  95% of reported cases occur in males, indicating possible genetic component  Average age of patient in registry is 15  Most cases occur during sporting events (baseball in particular), in addition to physical altercations and industrial accidents  Treatment is high quality CPR and early defibrillation  Survival rate is improving but remains around 35%  In recent events, American football player Damar Hamlin survived a Commotio cordis event after being tackled on field and receiving CPR  References Link MS. Commotio cordis: ventricular fibrillation triggered by chest impact-induced abnormalities in repolarization. Circ Arrhythm Electrophysiol. 2012;5(2):425-432. doi:10.1161/CIRCEP.111.962712 Maron BJ, Poliac LC, Kaplan JA, Mueller FO. Blunt impact to the chest leading to

Contributor: Chris Holmes, MD Educational Pearls: Through world history, there have been various interesting approaches to wound care Ancient Egyptians applied honey, lint, and grease which provided antimicrobial, absorptive and moisturizing properties, respectively  Ancient Greeks irrigated wounds with clean water and applied wine and vinegar which may have been antimicrobial  One of the first synthetic topical antimicrobials was a dye researched by scientist Gerhard Domagk and later produced by Bayer under the name Prontosil  Some current wound care methods include wet-to-dry dressings, Dankin’s Solution (sodium hypochlorite) and the use of maggots    References Fleck CA. Why "wet to dry"?. J Am Col Certif Wound Spec. 2009;1(4):109-113. Published 2009 Oct 6. doi:10.1016/j.jcws.2009.09.003 Shah JB. The history of wound care. J Am Col Certif Wound Spec. 2011;3(3):65-66. doi:10.1016/j.jcws.2012.04.002 Ueno CM, Mullens CL, Luh JH, Wooden WA. Historical review of Dakin's solution applications. J Plast Reconstr

Contributor: Aaron Lessen, MD Educational Pearls: Wound care in the emergency department aims to prevent future infection Copious wound irrigation is the important step in preventing wound infection Studies have shown that irrigation with tap water is just as effective, if not superior,  to  irrigation with saline or other solutions Several studies have shown no reduction in wound infection rates when using sterile gloves during wound care Recent study in the Netherlands compared infection rates between patients undergoing wound repair with and without sterile gloves Receiving wound care with nonsterile gloves was noninferior to wound care utilizing sterile gloves References Fernandez R, Griffiths R. Water for wound cleansing. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. Feb 15 2012;(2):Cd003861. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD003861.pub3 Heckmann N, Simcox T, Kelley D, Marecek GS. Wound Irrigation for Open Fractures. JBJS Rev. Jan 2020;8(1):e0061. doi:10.2106/jbjs.Rvw.19.00061 Zwaans JJM, Raven W, Rosendaal AV, et al. Non-ster

Contributor: Aaron Lessen, MD Educational Pearls: Pediatric patients frequently have vital signs considered abnormal for age at discharge Large multicenter study recently evaluated if pediatric patients discharged with abnormal vital signs have worse outcomes  97,824 pediatric discharges were included in the study 18.1% were discharged with vitals considered abnormal for age No significant difference in readmission rates at 48 hours (2.28% in abnormal cohort vs. 2.45% in normal cohort) No significant adverse outcomes in those discharged with abnormal vital signs (4 total PICU admissions with no deaths, CPR, or intubations) When considering discharging pediatric patients, it is important to evaluate how the patient looks rather than just relying on vital signs Consider leaving the child attached to a monitor, leaving the room, and then reevaluating them if they could be agitated by the presence of healthcare providers References Kazmierczak M, Thompson AD, DePiero AD, Selbst SM. Outcomes of patients disc

Contributor: Travis Barlock, MD Educational Pearls: The causes of pancreatitis can be remembered with the mnemonic: “GET SMASHED”  G: Gallstones (Most common cause of pancreatitis overall)  E: Ethanol (Alcohol consumption is the most common cause of chronic pancreatitis) T: Trauma  S: Steroids M: Malignancy A: Autoimmune  S: Scorpion Sting H: Hypertryglyceridemia  E: ERCP D: Drugs (e.g. Valproate, Antiretrovirals)    References Beyer G, Habtezion A, Werner J, Lerch MM, Mayerle J. Chronic pancreatitis. Lancet. 2020;396(10249):499-512. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(20)31318-0 Lankisch PG, Apte M, Banks PA. Acute pancreatitis [published correction appears in Lancet. 2015 Nov 21;386(10008):2058]. Lancet. 2015;386(9988):85-96. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(14)60649-8   Summarized by Kirsten Hughes, MS4 | Edited by John Spartz, MD, & Erik Verzemnieks, MD   In an effort to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in Emergency Medicine, The Emergency Medical Minute is proud to present our 2nd annual Diversity and Inclusion

Contributor: Aaron Lessen, MD Educational Pearls: Septic arthritis of the sternoclavicular joint is uncommon accounting for

Contributor: Meghan Hurley, MD Educational Pearls: Venomous snakes in the United States include species from the family Elapidae and subfamily Crotalinae In prehospital setting, elevate the bitten extremity and transport to hospital immediately Do not attempt interventions with the bite site  Monitor for progression of swelling past any joint line, systemic symptoms or lab abnormalities for 8-12 hours  Symptoms may present up to hours after bite   Crotalinae venom has heme toxicity and may present with lab pattern of DIC  Treatment for all symptoms is antivenom If symptoms persist or progress, continue to treat with antivenom  Compartment syndrome is rare with snake bites   References Ruha AM, Kleinschmidt KC, Greene S, et al. The Epidemiology, Clinical Course, and Management of Snakebites in the North American Snakebite Registry. J Med Toxicol. 2017;13(4):309-320. doi:10.1007/s13181-017-0633-5   Aziz H, Rhee P, Pandit V, Tang A, Gries L, Joseph B. The current concepts in management of animal (dog, ca

Contributor: Jared Scott, MD Educational Pearls: Two conventional ways to aid in external jugular vein (EJ) catheter placement are Trendelenburg’s position and Valsalva’s maneuver by patient  One study compared ultrasound visualization of cross sections of EJ and common femoral vein at baseline and with patients in Trendelenburg's position, Valsalva's maneuver, and while humming The study found all three conditions distended the veins from baseline, but there was no significant difference in diameter between the conditions   Humming may be a viable technique in distended EJ for catheter placement, and may be easier for patients to comprehend than Valsalva    References Lewin MR, Stein J, Wang R, et al. Humming is as effective as Valsalva's maneuver and Trendelenburg's position for ultrasonographic visualization of the jugular venous system and common femoral veins. Ann Emerg Med. 2007;50(1):73-77. doi:10.1016/j.annemergmed.2007.01.024   Summarized by Kirsten Hughes, MS4 | Edited by John Spartz, MD, & Er

Contributor: Meghan Hurley, MD Educational Pearls: Syncope is defined as a loss of consciousness with an immediate return to baseline Differential is broad Cardiogenic Structural (aortic stenosis, HOCUM, etc.) Electrical (long QT syndrome, Brugada, etc.) Neurogenic/neurovascular (brain bleed, etc.) Seizure Everything else Hypoglycemia, anemia, and bleeding into the abdominal cavity are some potential causes to rule out Vasovagal Diagnosis of exclusion Work Up EKG Good H&P Labs especially Hb and glucose References Morris J. Emergency department management of syncope. Emerg Med Pract. Jun 2021;23(6):1-24. Reed MJ. Approach to syncope in the emergency department. Emerg Med J. Feb 2019;36(2):108-116. doi:10.1136/emermed-2018-207767   Summarized by Mark O’Brien, MS4 | Edited by John Spartz, MD, & Erik Verzemnieks, MD In an effort to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in Emergency Medicine, The Emergency Medical Minute is proud to present our 2nd annual Diversity and Inclusion Award. We su

Contributor: Aaron Lessen, MD Educational Pearls: Torus (Buckle) fractures are a commonly encountered pediatric fracture pattern Typically presents as wrist pain secondary to a child falling on outstretched hand One edge of the bone “buckles” or bends because children’s bones are softer and more pliable Management Older studies have shown that short term immobilization with a velcro splint and primary care follow up is sufficient Recent randomized trial compared immobilization with Velcro splint with as needed wrist support using a gauze wrap No significant differences noted in outcomes between the two cohorts Physicians can consider using an ace or gauze wrap as needed for buckle fracture management along with OTC analgesics for pain management References Asokan A, Kheir N. Pediatric Torus Buckle Fracture. StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing Copyright © 2022, StatPearls Publishing LLC.; 2022.   Kennedy SA, Slobogean GP, Mulpuri K. Does degree of immobilization influence refracture rate in the forearm buc

Contributor: Travis Barlock, MD Educational Pearls: Normal Saline (NS) contains 154 mEq of both Sodium (Na) and Chloride (Cl),  and has a pH of 5.5 Normal Na and Cl in adult humans are about 140 mEq/L and 103 mEq/L. respectively   Excess negative charge resulting from hyperchloremia is managed via bicarbonate excretion leading to loss of base Overall, administration of NS drives metabolic acidosis Lactated Ringers (LR) contains 130 mEq of Na and 109 mEq Cl, and has a pH of 6.5   LR components are closer to physiologic levels thus may generally be a more efficacious fluid choice   NS is still frequently given in scenarios where there is concern for increased intracranial pressure or existing hypochloremic alkalosis from emesis.  ReferencesLi H, Sun SR, Yap JQ, Chen JH, Qian Q. 0.9% saline is neither normal nor physiological. J Zhejiang Univ Sci B. 2016;17(3):181-187. doi:10.1631/jzus.B1500201 ​​Lehr AR, Rached-d'Astous S, Barrowman N, et al. Balanced Versus Unbalanced Fluid in Critically Ill Children: Sy

Happy Thanksgiving EMM listeners, Mason here wanting to extend a special thank you to all of you for tuning in to our show. Today we are featuring a special episode on health disparities in the opioid epidemic and their intersection with the ER that we produced for the Iowa Healthcare Collaborative’s Compass Opioid Stewardship Program, a national initiative to provide comprehensive education on opioid stewardship and best practices.  In an effort to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in Emergency Medicine, The Emergency Medical Minute is proud to present our 2nd annual Diversity and Inclusion Award. We support increasing the representation of underrepresented groups in medicine and extend this award to individuals applying to emergency medicine residencies during the 2022-2023 cycle. For information on award eligibility and the application process, visit https://emergencymedicalminute.com/edi-award/ Donate to EMM today!

Educational Pearls: Most common sexually transmitted disease (STD) in North America: Human Papillomavirus (HPV) From the emergency department patients should be connected to follow-up care and educated on vaccine series Most common non-viral STD in North America: Trichomonas Vaginalis   While men may be asymptomatic, they can transmit the disease to women who may experience irritation leading to increased likelihood of PID and contraction of other STDs and HIV Trichomonas is diagnosed via wet preparation with visualization of motile parasites  Similarly, men’s urine can be tested for visualized motile parasites  Expedite lab as parasites are motile for about one hour    PCR test is becoming more available Most common bacterial STD in North America: Chlamydia trachomatis  Neisseria gonorrhoeae is a less common bacterial STD but does have high rates of drug resistance  Empiric STD treatment includes IM Ceftriaxone and PO Doxycycline  Providers should consider adding Flagyl for Trichomonas Vag

Contributor: Aaron Lessen,MD Educational Pearls: Recent study looked at mechanically ventilated patients in ED and ICU to determine if O2 saturation level impacted patient outcomes 2541 patients randomized to one of three target O2 saturation levels Low: 90% (Range: 88-92%) Intermediate: 94% (Range: 92-96%) High: 98% (Range: 96-100%) Outcome indicators Primary: Number of days alive and ventilator free by day 28 of hospital admission Secondary: Mortality at 28 days No significant difference was seen for either primary or secondary outcomes between all three groups at 28 days This study shows that the target oxygenation level  is not likely to significantly impact outcomes in mechanically ventilated patients in the ED   References Semler MW, Casey JD, Lloyd BD, et al. Oxygen-Saturation Targets for Critically Ill Adults Receiving Mechanical Ventilation. N Engl J Med. Nov 10 2022;387(19):1759-1769. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2208415   Summarized by Mark O’Brien, MS4 | Edited by John Spartz, MD, & Erik Ve