Ultrasound for Verification of Endotracheal Tube Location

In patients undergoing emergent tracheal intubation, there is currently no universally accepted gold-standard test to confirm the location of the endotracheal tube (ETT).¹ End-tidal carbon dioxide (CO2) detection is the best of the tests that are routinely utilized to confirm ETT placement, however, it has been shown to have an error rate as high as 1/10 for proper determination of ETT location in emergency intubations.² As a result, multiple modalities are necessary to confirm ETT location, which can delay mechanical ventilation and other treatments. The lack of a single, reliable test to confirm ETT placement can potentially lead to confusion regarding the location of the tube. This confusion can result in both unrecognized esophageal intubations (“false positive”), as well as successful tracheal intubations that are subsequently removed (“false negative”), subjecting the patient to further unnecessary attempts at airway management. Both scenarios can lead to disastrous consequences.

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By Mark Favot, MD|2021-01-05T13:56:52-08:00Mar 2, 2015|Critical Care/ Resus, Expert Peer Reviewed (Clinical), Ultrasound|

Ultrasound For The Win: 46F with Right Abdominal and Flank Pain #US4TW

Welcome to another ultrasound-based case, part of the “Ultrasound For The Win!” (#US4TW) Case Series. In this peer-reviewed case series, we focus on a real clinical case where bedside ultrasound changed the management or aided in the diagnosis. In this case, a 46-year-old woman presents with acute right-sided abdominal and flank pain.

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By Jeffrey Shih, MD, RDMS|2021-03-10T10:02:08-08:00Feb 24, 2015|Expert Peer Reviewed (Clinical), Genitourinary, Ultrasound, Ultrasound for the Win|

Malignancy-Associated Hypercalcemia: Which Bisphosphonate is Best?

Malignancy-associated hypercalcemia (MAH) is the most common metabolic derangement encountered in the oncologic population in the ED. It can occur in up to 30% of cancer patients at some point during the disease.^1–3 Clinical manifestations include mental status changes (which may progress to coma) and renal impairment.³ These patients may be classified based on both type and severity. Therapies for managing MAH emergently should focus on correcting the underlying mechanism, as outlined below with their respective causes:³

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By Meghan Groth, PharmD, BCPS|2016-12-19T12:59:11-08:00Feb 19, 2015|Endocrine-Metabolic, Expert Peer Reviewed (Clinical), Tox & Medications|

Ultrasound For The Win: 22M with Scrotal Pain #US4TW

Welcome to another ultrasound-based case, part of the “Ultrasound For The Win” (#US4TW) Case Series. In this peer-reviewed case series, we focus on real clinical cases where bedside ultrasound changed management or aided in diagnoses. In this case, a 22-year-old man presents with acute scrotal pain.
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By Jeffrey Shih, MD, RDMS|2017-07-19T00:08:38-07:00Feb 12, 2015|Expert Peer Reviewed (Clinical), Genitourinary, Ultrasound, Ultrasound for the Win|

Anti-NMDA-Receptor Encephalitis

Anti-NMDA-receptor encephalitis is a severe and treatable immune-mediated disorder which presents with a rapid progression of psychiatric and neuropsychiatric symptoms. Although only first reported as a diagnosis in 2007, an exponential number of cases have since been described, suggesting that the disease is not rare but rather under-diagnosed. Emergency physicians play an important role in recognizing this disorder, as prognosis is largely dependent on early treatment with immunotherapy.

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By Jordana Haber, MD|2018-01-30T02:37:16-08:00Jan 24, 2015|Expert Peer Reviewed (Clinical), Neurology|

Trick of the Trade: Knee Arthrocentesis

A patient comes into the ED and you suspect septic arthritis to the knee. As you consent the patient for arthrocentesis, you can tell s/he has reservations about a needle being inserted into their knee and left in place while you aspirate. You also think in the back of your mind how tricky it is to sometimes change syringes while keeping the needle in the correct location. Is there another way of tapping the knee without a needle?

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By Fred Wu, MHS, PA-C|2019-02-19T18:42:04-08:00Jan 8, 2015|Expert Peer Reviewed (Clinical), Orthopedic, Pre Publication Critique (Clinical), Tricks of the Trade|

Think back to your last severely hypoglycemic and lethargic patient presenting to the ED. What was the first treatment modality that came to mind? The initial knee-jerk reaction might be to reach for that big blue box of D50 if the patient has IV access. After all, top priority is to reverse hypoglycemia as fast as possible. But in the midst of stabilizing the patient, how often do we consider the potential aftermath of concentrated glucose?

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By Adam Spaulding, PharmD BCPS|2020-09-17T08:57:06-07:00Dec 31, 2014|Endocrine-Metabolic, Expert Peer Reviewed (Clinical), Pre Publication Critique (Clinical)|