Trick of the Trade: A removable guidewire


GuidewireCentralLine
An essential skill of any innovative troubleshooter in the Emergency Department is the ability to recognize when one piece of equipment may be used elsewhere. For instance, what’s your go-to approach when looking for a spare guidewire? Let’s say you are trying to salvage an ultrasound-guided basilic vein IV catheterization.

Here’s where I go for guidewires:

  • Central line kits
  • Pneumothorax pigtail kits
  • Seldinger-based cricothyrotomy kits

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By |2016-11-11T18:51:26-08:00Jan 10, 2012|Tricks of the Trade|

Trick of the Trade: Bandaging the scalp laceration

ScalpLac2

Scalp lacerations are one of the most common injuries which present to the Emergency Department. Applying a dry bandage over the staples or sutures can be a challenge because the tape just has nothing to adhere to.

We reviewed the use of tubular cotton gauze to create a beanie hat, but what should you do if you can’t find any tubular gauze? Ever since I wrote about the beanie hat trick, people in the ED have been using the tubular gauze more and we’re always out of stock whenever I look for it!

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By |2019-02-19T18:08:01-08:00Dec 5, 2011|Tricks of the Trade|

Trick of the Trade: Ultrasound-guided injection for shoulder dislocation

ShoulderDislocation

Who loves relocating shoulder dislocations as much as I do? I know you do.

Often patients undergo procedural sedation in order to achieve adequate pain control and muscle relaxation. Alternatively or adjunctively, you can inject the shoulder joint with an anesthetic. Personally, I have had variable effectiveness with this technique. In cases of inadequate pain control, I always wonder if I was actually in the joint.

How can you improve your success rate in injecting into glenohumeral joint injection?

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By |2019-01-28T22:35:26-08:00Nov 8, 2011|Orthopedic, Tricks of the Trade, Ultrasound|
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