The SplintER series is back with a new sub-series – Leg Day! We will review lower extremity orthopedic injuries, introduce advanced concepts, and highlight ways to implement these into your next shift. In this post, we summarize the appropriate way to evaluate, diagnose, and manage tibial plateau fractures. This post is peer-reviewed by Dr. Kori Hudson, one of our expert sports medicine colleagues! Please read below for her commentary.
The SplintER series is back with its fourth installment! In this series, we review splinting fundamentals, introduce advanced concepts, and highlight ways to implement these into your next shift. In this post, we summarize some of the most commonly deployed splints in the ED. Peer-reviewed by sports medicine experts (Dr. Kori Hudson and Dr. Anna Waterbrook), these injury-splint summary tables provide information on the origin, insertion, and positioning for each splint, along with the recommended number of layers of plaster.
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The SplintER Series is back with its third installment! In this series, we review splinting fundamentals, introduce advanced concepts, and highlight ways to implement these into your next shift. In SplintER 102, we reviewed the materials used in splinting and a general approach to applying a splint. Today’s post puts the spotlight on some of the potential complications of splinting, discharge care plans, and pharmacological adjuncts to aid in recovery.
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The SplintER Series is back with its second installment! In the first post, Splint 101, we discussed the indications and relative contraindications to splinting. In this post, we focus on the materials used in splinting and some key steps in splint application.
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Why do we splint? Splinting is one of the fundamental procedures of the Emergency Department (ED). How well-versed are we with it? Why do we even splint? By the end of this post, you will know the reason why we splint, when to splint, and just as importantly — when NOT to splint in the ED.
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The purpose of the SplintER series is to teach the fundamentals and introduce advanced concepts of splinting to the Emergency Medicine (EM) professional. Humans have been splinting their injuries since 1300 B.C.1 Although the fundamentals have not changed, splint selection and application require some thoughtful consideration. A 2017 prospective, observational study in the Journal of Pediatric Orthopaedics demonstrated that more than 90% of splints applied in the Emergency Department were inappropriate (30% applied by EM attendings), as evaluated by orthopaedic surgeons.2 While that number may not be representative in your institution, it certainly highlights the inadequacies that many of us feel when approaching a splint!
“The part can never be well unless the whole is well.” – Plato
The rigors of post-graduate training can strain even the most stoic of residents – the next task, the next project, the next shift. These reduce our resiliency to stressful situations. The likelihood is that your program has worked very hard to develop new and innovative initiatives to improve resident wellness and resiliency. And chances are, they have done this in-house. It takes tremendous efforts, however, to create and revise the efforts. In this digital age of social media, this siloed approach no longer is necessary because programs can easily get feedback and share their experiences with others.