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Paucis Verbis: Distracting injuries in c-spine injuries

Cervical spine assessment distracting injuries

“Distracting injury” is a frequent cited reason for imaging the cervical spine in blunt trauma patients, per the NEXUS study. In the Journal of Trauma in 2005 and 2011, studies aimed to narrow the definition of “distracting injury”. Although both are studies at different sites, both conclude the same:

  • Chest injuries may be considered “distracting injuries” because of their proximity to the cervical spine.

Example

So let’s say you are caring for a non-intoxicated motor vehicle crash patient with an isolated tibia fracture (i.e. a “long bone fracture”), no chest injuries, and no neck pain/tenderness. Per the NEXUS criteria, you might consider this patient to have a “distracting injury” because of the long bone fracture. Instead, the literature now supports your clinically clearing the cervical spine without imaging.

Wait, let’s rethink this. Does this mean that you should get cervical spine imaging for ALL blunt trauma patients with ANY chest wall tenderness?! NO. That’s just crazy. You should still factor in the mechanism of injury, severity of pain, and your clinical gestalt.

So for me, these “distracting injury” studies are helpful such that:

  • If your trauma patient does NOT have chest trauma, it may help you avoid unnecessary cervical spine imaging, as suggested by the NEXUS criteria.
  • If your trauma patient DOES have significant chest trauma, I have a lower threshold to obtain cervical spine imaging despite the neck being non-tender.

PV Card: Distracting Injuries in Cervical Spine Assessment


Go to ALiEM (PV) Cards for more resources.

By |2021-10-12T16:03:39-07:00Sep 9, 2011|ALiEM Cards, Orthopedic, Trauma|
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Paucis Verbis: Antibiotics for Cystitis and Pyelonephritis in Women

UrineBacteriaYou diagnose a 35 years old woman with uncomplicated cystitis. She is not diabetic and not pregnant. Which antibiotics should you give? What if she had pyelonephritis?

Answer: It depends on your local antibiogram.

San Francisco General Hospital 2010 Antibiogram

Today, go find out about your hospital’s local resistance rates for uropathogens to various antibiotics. For San Francisco General Hospital, I found our antibiogram publicly posted online. Urine isolates of E. coli demonstrate relatively high resistance rates to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole and ciprofloxacin:

  • Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole resistance rate = 33%
  • Cefazolin or Cephalexin resistance rate = 12%
  • Ciprofloxacin resistance rate = 16%

So based on the new 2010 practice guidelines by the ID Society of America and the European Society for Microbiology and Infectious Diseases,1 I should give:

  • Cystitis: Nitrofurantoin x 5 days, or cephalexin / beta-lactam x 3-7 days
  • Pyelonephritis: Ceftriaxone 1 gm IV x 1 + (ciprofloxacin x 7 days or trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole x 14 days)

PV Card: Antibiotics for Uncomplicated Cystitis and Pyelonephritis in Women


Adapted from [1]
Go to ALiEM (PV) Cards for more resources.

Reference

  1. Gupta K, Hooton T, Naber K, et al. International clinical practice guidelines for the treatment of acute uncomplicated cystitis and pyelonephritis in women: A 2010 update by the Infectious Diseases Society of America and the European Society for Microbiology and Infectious Diseases. Clin Infect Dis. 2011;52(5):e103-20. [PubMed]
By |2021-10-12T16:06:34-07:00Sep 2, 2011|ALiEM Cards, Genitourinary|
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Trick of the Trade: Dix-Hallpike maneuver variation

Hallpike-dix maneuver

The Dix-Hallpike maneuver is used to help diagnose benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV).

  • Place the gurney’s head of the bed down flat.
  • Reposition the patient so that s/he is sitting another 12 inches or so closer towards the head of the flat gurney.
  • Rotate patient’s head 45 degrees.
  • Help the patient lie down backwards quickly.
  • The patient’s head should be hanging off of the gurney edge in about 20 degrees extension.
  • Observe for rotational nystagmus after a 5-10 second latency period, which confirms BPPV.

I find 2 things challenging in this maneuver.

  • The patient often does not like to be moved AT ALL while feeling nauseously vertiginous. This even includes trying to reposition the seated patient closer to the head of the bed. This requires them to look behind them to see what where they are going, which sets off more vertigo.
  • In some of our ED rooms and hallways, the head of the gurney bed is often abutting a wall, a portable monitor, or some equipment. It takes a little fancy shuffling to make room for the Dix-Hallpike maneuver.

Trick of the Trade: A modified Dix-Hallpike maneuver

Place blankets or a pillow under the shoulders for the Dix-Hallpike maneuver.

Hallpike-dix maneuver pillow blanket

 

The key is to maintain about 20-30 degrees of neck extension to align the posterior semicircular canals with the direction of gravity. Placing several blankets under the patients’ shoulders can accomplish this same position without having to scoot the patient close to the gurney edge. I’m sure the patient would appreciate keeping their head movement to a minimum.

By |2020-01-07T23:52:15-08:00Aug 30, 2011|ENT, Neurology, Tricks of the Trade|
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Paucis Verbis: Approach to rashes

Poison Oak rash

Contact dermatitis from poison oak

We see a variety of rashes in the Emergency Department. The first step is to accurately describe the rash. Is this a macule or nodule? Is this a vesicle or bulla? The next step is to quickly “profile” it to see if it fits any classic pattern by patient age, lesion distribution, or presence of hypotension. And finally, if you are still stumped, use an algorithm based on the rash type.

These figures are from March 2010’s Emergency Medicine Magazine. It’s not meant to be a comprehensive article on rashes but it sure does take the guesswork out of 90% of the rashes you see.

PV Card: Approach to Rashes


Go to ALiEM (PV) Cards for more resources.

Thanks to Dr. Hemal Kanzaria for including this idea as a PV card.

By |2021-10-12T16:11:54-07:00Aug 26, 2011|ALiEM Cards, Dermatology|
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Trick of the Trade: Crossed straight leg raise test

SLRA 35 year old man presents with low back pain which radiates down his right leg to the level of the knee. Is this sciatica?

Low back pain is one of the most common chief complaints that we see in the Emergency Department. In addition to the examination of the back and distal neurovascular function, we also need to test for evidence of a radiculopathy (compression or inflammation of a nerve root typically from a herniated disk). Because most disk herniations occur at the L4-L5 and L5-S1 level, you should test for irritation of the L4-S1 nerve roots. This is the sciatic nerve.

(more…)

By |2016-11-11T18:52:17-08:00Aug 23, 2011|Orthopedic, Tricks of the Trade|
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Paucis Verbis: An approach to persistent tachycardia

Sinus Tachycardia ECG
Tachycardia is a common clinical occurrence in the ED. Most of the time the etiology can be discerned through the history and physical exam, but sometimes it cannot. This is problematic especially when we are about to discharge a patient home but his/her heart rate is still 115 beat/min. We can’t send this patient home yet. Do we then have to admit them for work-up of persistent tachycardia?

Attached is a list of common causes of tachycardia in the ED, as well as potential diagnostic and therapeutic considerations. Rather than a shot-gun approach, a limited and thoughtful method works best.

Can you think of other potential causes?

PV Card: Approach to Persistent Tachycardia


Go to ALiEM (PV) Cards for more resources.

This useful PV card was made by one of our new star faculty members at San Francisco General Hospital, Dr. David Thompson. Thanks, David!

By |2021-10-12T16:15:00-07:00Aug 19, 2011|ALiEM Cards, Cardiovascular|
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