Trauma Commons^™

Identifying Gaps And Launching Resident Wellness Initiatives: The 2017 Resident Wellness Consensus Summit., Fareen Zaver, Nicole Battaglioli, William Denq, Anne Messman, Arlene Chung, Michelle Lin, Emberlynn L Liu

Emergency Medicine Faculty Publications

Introduction: Burnout, depression, and suicidality among residents of all specialties have become a critical focus for the medical education community, especially among learners in graduate medical education. In 2017 the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) updated the Common Program Requirements to focus more on resident wellbeing. To address this issue, one working group from the 2017 Resident Wellness Consensus Summit (RWCS) focused on wellness program innovations and initiatives in emergency medicine (EM) residency programs.

Methods: Over a seven-month period leading up to the RWCS event, the Programmatic Initiatives workgroup convened virtually in the Wellness Think Tank, an online, …

Acute Cardiac Air Embolism, Leslie Billello, Brian Gacioch, James P. Phillips

Emergency Medicine Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Optimal Implementation Of Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs In The Emergency Department, Joshua Elder, Garrett Depalma, Jesse M. Pines

Emergency Medicine Faculty Publications

The opioid epidemic is the most significant modern-day, public health crisis. Physicians and lawmakers have developed methods and practices to curb opioid use. This article describes one method, prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMP), through the lens of how to optimize use for emergency departments (ED). EDs have rapidly become a central location to combat opioid abuse and drug diversion. PDMPs can provide emergency physicians with comprehensive prescribing information to improve clinical decisions around opioids. However, PDMPs vary tremendously in their accessibility and usability in the ED, which limits their effectiveness at the point of care. Problems are complicated by varying …

The Accuracy Of Point-Of-Care Ultrasound In Detecting Small Bowel Obstruction In Emergency Department, Ali Pourmand, Ubah Dimbil, A. Drake, Hamid A. Shokoohi

Emergency Medicine Faculty Publications

Radiological imaging plays an essential role in the evaluation of a patient with suspected small bowel obstruction (SBO). In a few studies, point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) has been utilized as a primary imaging modality in patients with suspected SBO. POCUS has been shown to be an accurate tool in the diagnosis of SBO with multiple research studies noting a consistent high sensitivity with a range of 94–100% and specificity of 81–100%. Specific sonographic findings that increase the likelihood of SBO include dilatation of small bowel loops > 25 mm, altered intestinal peristalsis, increased thickness of the bowel wall, and intraperitoneal fluid accumulation. …

Simulation-Based Training In Ebola Personal Protective Equipment For Healthcare Workers: Experience From King Abdulaziz University Hospital In Saudi Arabia, Jameel Abualenain, M. Al-Alawi

Emergency Medicine Faculty Publications

Background: Millions of Muslims from across the world gather annually to perform pilgrimage. This can import unusual communicable diseases such as Ebola. Communicable diseases with a high risk of mortality necessitate special training to master the required competency to avert transmission of infections. The efficacy of simulation-based training (SBT) has been shown in such circumstances. Objective: We sought to develop an SBT program in Ebola Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for all healthcare workers (HCWs). Methods: We conducted a quasi-experimental study at the clinical skills and simulation center at the King Abdulaziz University. An interdisciplinary committee was formed to develop this …

International Scope Of Emergency Ultrasound: Barriers In Applying Ultrasound To Guide Central Line Placement By Providers In Nairobi, Kenya, Fareen Zaver, Keith S. Boniface

Emergency Medicine Faculty Publications

Background

While ultrasound (US) use for internal jugular central venous catheter (CVC) placement is standard of care in North America, most developing countries have not adopted this practice. Previous surveys of North American physicians have identified lack of training and equipment availability as the most important barriers to the use of US. Go to:

Objective

We sought to identify perceived barriers to the use of US to guide CVC insertion in a resource-constrained environment. Go to:

Methods

Prior to an US-guided CVC placement training course conducted at the Aga Khan University Hospital in Nairobi, Kenya, physicians were asked to complete …

I Survived The Icu: Post-Intensive Care Syndrome From Patient And Nursing Perspectives, Catherine Bynum

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Excerpt from Introduction

After a head-on collision with a drunk driver, Kathy Torpie had a long road to recovery ahead of her. After three weeks in the intensive care unit (ICU), sedation, and mechanical ventilation, she was left with a set of symptoms coined Post-Intensive Care Syndrome (PICS) (Torpie, 2005). PICS is defined as “a condition that encompasses new or worsening impairments in the patient’s physical, cognitive, or mental status arising after critical illness and persisting beyond the acute hospitalization” (Makic, 2016, p. 172). With technological advancements, ICU survival rates are on the rise. Now that survival has increased, it …

Emergency Department Repair Of Blunt Right Atrial Rupture Utilizing Cardiopulmonary Bypass, Samuel P. Carmichael, Michael C. Bounds, Alexis E. Shafii, Phillip K. Chang

Internal Medicine Faculty Publications

Blunt cardiac injury (BCI) with free wall rupture carries a high risk of pre-hospital death. Cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) has been utilized as a bridge to repair of cardiac lesions in select patients. We present an interesting case of emergency department repair of right atrial rupture with cardiopulmonary bypass.

The Effects Of Obesity On Outcomes In Trauma Injury: Overview Of The Current Literature, Milad Modarresi, Brad Gillon, Javad Najjar Mojarrab, Rodrigo Aguilar, Zackary Dylan Hunter, Matthew Steven Schade, Jackie Sanabria, Rebecca Klug, Seth Adkins, Juan R. Sanabria

Marshall Journal of Medicine

Obesity has reached epidemic proportions and is now considered a chronic disease by the National Institute of Health (NIH) in the West. Its impact on trauma outcomes is of particular interest with several studies presenting conflicting information. The present overview suggests a strong association between obesity and injury severity, hospital length of stay (LOS), intensive care unit (ICU) admission, pattern of injury, rate of complications and mortality. The nature of the observations may relate to an underlying physiological state of the obese patient and its associated comorbidities with a constant heightened inflammatory state aggravated by the second hit on an …

A Retrospective Review Of Paediatric Head Injuries In Asia - A Pan Asian Trauma Outcomes Study (Patos) Collaboration, Shu-Ling Chong, Uzma R. Khan, Indumathy Santhanam, Jun Seok Seo, Quan Wang, Sabariah Faizah Jamaluddin,, Quoc Ai Hoang Quoc, Su Yah Chew, Marcus Eng Hock Ong

Department of Emergency Medicine

Objective: We aim to examine the mechanisms of head-injured children presenting to participating centres in the Pan Asian Trauma Outcomes Study (PATOS) and to evaluate the association between mechanism of injury and severe outcomes.
Design and Setting: We performed a retrospective review of medical records among emergency departments (EDs) of eight PATOS centres, from September 2014 - August 2015.
Participants: We included children <16 years old who presented within 24 hours of head injury and were admitted for observation or required a computed tomography (CT) of the brain from the ED. We excluded children with known coagulopathies, neurological co-morbidities or prior neurosurgery. We reviewed the mechanism, intent, location and object involved in each injury, and the patients' physical findings on presentation.
Outcomes: Primary outcomes were death, endotracheal intubation or neurosurgical intervention. Secondary outcomes included hospital and ED length of stay.
Results: 1438 children were analysed. 953 children (66.3%) were male and the median age was 5.0 years (IQR …

Quality Improvement In Pediatric Head Trauma With Pecarn Rules Implementation As Computerized Decision Support, Shireen M. Atabaki, Brian Jacobs, Kathleen Jacobs, Samira Shahzeidi, Nia Heard-Garris, Meghan Chamberlain, Robert Grell, James M. Chamberlain

Pediatrics Faculty Publications

Background: For the 1.4 million emergency department (ED) visits for traumatic brain injury (TBI) annually in the United States, computed tomography (CT) may be over utilized. The Pediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network developed 2 prediction rules to identify children at very low risk of clinically important TBI. We implemented these prediction rules as decision support within our electronic health record (EHR) to reduce CT.

Objective: To test EHR decision support implementation in reducing CT rates for head trauma at 2 pediatric EDs.

Methods: We compared monthly CT rates 1 year before [preimplementation (PRE)] and 1 year after [postimplementation (POST)] …

Emergency Department Approach To Electrical Toothbrush Associated Hand Injury, A Unique Case Of Non-Oropharyngeal Injury., Hannah Robinson, Neal Sikka, Chimere Little, Ali Pourmand

GW Research Days 2016 - 2020

Puncture wounds are common injuries treated in the emergency department (ED). Prior studies have shown that toothbrushes are common reservoirs for oral flora, especially in regions near the head of the toothbrush near the bristles. ED providers must be aware of the danger associated with bacterial contamination of the associated wound and should be familiar with different pathogens and options for treatment. We present a unique case of a 30-year-old male with non-intraoral injury who presented to the ED after puncturing his left palm with the metal post of an electric toothbrush.

Concussion Screening Evaluation: Bess Vs Sway, Zachariah Hatoum, Aidan Neustadtl, Jeremy Altman, Aurash Zarrinbakhsh, David Milzman

GW Research Days 2016 - 2020

Introduction: Rapid evaluation of concussion is important in the pre-hospital setting as an easy test. It is also useful in the ED, as too often little is done for concussed patients. The Balance Error Scoring System (BESS) is the current gold standard for evaluating balance, one of the best predictors of concussion. SWAY, a new gyroscope based iPhone application, is being proposed as a more sensitive and more objective test than BESS. This study will compare Sway to BESS to determine if there is equal efficacy.
Method: 74 scholastic and collegiate athletes were administered baseline balance evaluations using Sway. …

Dysuria: An Uncommon Presentation In Emergency Department Following Bladder Neck Disruption., Ali Pourmand, Assya Abdallah, Hamid Shokoohi, Mindy Park, Marie White, Francis O'Connell

Emergency Medicine Faculty Publications

Prostate cancer is the most common life-threatening cancer diagnosed in men. Complications of prostatectomies vary and often include urinary incontinence, erectile dysfunction and pain, while other complications go unreported. While emergency physicians are already familiar with the more common post-operative complications presenting to their departments, including urinary retention, ileus, surgical site infections, venous thromboembolisms and urinary tract infections, they must have a high index of suspicion for rarer complications. We report a case of posterior bladder neck disruption as a complication of a robotic assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy that presented to the emergency department as dysuria and abdominal pain following urination.

Feasibility And Usability Of Tele-Interview For Medical Residency Interview, Ali Pourmand, Hayoung Lee, Malika Fair, Kaylah Maloney, Amy Caggiula

Emergency Medicine Faculty Publications

Every year in the United States, medical students and residency programs dedicate millions of dollars to the residency matching process. On-site interviews for training positions involve tremendous financial investment, and time spent detracts from educational pursuits and clinical responsibilities. Students are usually required to fund their own travel and accommodations, adding additional financial burdens to an already costly medical education. Similarly, residency programs allocate considerable funds to interview-day meals, tours, staffing, and social events. With the rapid onslaught of innovations and advancements in the field of telecommunication, technology has become ubiquitous in the practice of medicine. Internet applications have aided …

Does The Normal Four Steps Weight-Bearing Rule Predict The Need For Radiography In Cases Of Blunt Ankle Trauma?, Hassan Amiri, Samad Shams Vahdati, Mehdi Gharehkhani, Radin Maheronnaghsh, Hamid Shokoohi, Vafa Rahimi-Movaghar

Emergency Medicine Faculty Publications

Background: Ankle injuries are one of the most common complaints of patients presenting to emergency departments (ED). The Ottawa ankle rules (OAR) was introduced to help physicians to decide who may require x-ray for blunt injuries. The present study aimed at validating the four steps weight-bearing rule of OAR as a sole criterion.

Methods: This prospective observational study was conducted on 214 patients with acute ankle injury who referred to 3 emergency departments over a 7-months period in 2008. Main outcome measures of this survey included the sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, and the likelihood ratios (positive and …

Staff Perceptions Toward Emergency Clinical Pharmacists In A Saudi Arabian Academic Emergency Department, Jameel Abualenain, Hussain Talal Bakhsh

Emergency Medicine Faculty Publications

Introduction:

In Saudi Arabia, the establishment of pharmacy services as a part of the emergency department is relatively new and has been run by non-residency-trained pharmacists and limited to non-emergency services. We sought to explore emergency department staff members’ perceptions of clinical emergency pharmacy services in an academic emergency department.

Method:

In this survey study, 24 questions were sent to all emergency department staff 9 months after establishing an emergency pharmacist program with the goal of improving medication safety and quality of care.

Results:

Most, 122 out of 145 (84%), emergency department staff members responded to the survey. All 41 …

An Echocardiography Training Program For Improving The Left Ventricular Function Interpretation In Emergency Department; A Brief Report, Mary Jacob, Hamid A. Shokoohi, Fabith Moideen, Amelia Pousson, Keith S. Boniface

Emergency Medicine Faculty Publications

Introduction: Focused training in transthoracic echocardiography enables emergency physicians (EPs) to accurately estimate the left ventricular function. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of a brief training program utilizing standardized echocardiography video clips in this regard.
Methods: A before and after design was used to determine the efficacy of a 1 hour echocardiography training program using PowerPoint presentation and standardized echocardiography video clips illustrating normal and abnormal left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) as well as video clips emphasizing the measurement of mitral valve E-point septal separation (EPSS). Pre- and post-test evaluation used unique video clips and asked trainees to …

Development Of A Health Care Systems Curriculum., Zachary Pruitt, Rahul Mhaskar, Bryan G. Kane Md, Robert D. Barraco Md, Mph, Deborah J Dewaay, Alexander M. Rosenau Do, Kristin A. Bresnan Md, Marna R. Greenberg Do, Mph, Facep

Department of Emergency Medicine

Background: There is currently no gold standard for delivery of systems-based practice in medical education, and it is challenging to incorporate into medical education. Health systems competence requires physicians to understand patient care within the broader health care system and is vital to improving the quality of care clinicians provide. We describe a health systems curriculum that utilizes problem-based learning across 4 years of systems-based practice medical education at a single institution.

Methods: This case study describes the application of a problem-based learning approach to system-based practice medical education. A series of behavioral statements, called entrustable professional activities, was created …

Blog And Podcast Watch: Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Fareen Zaver, Michael Hansen, C. Leibner, A. Little, M. Lin

Emergency Medicine Faculty Publications

Introduction: By critically appraising open access, educational blogs and podcasts in emergency medicine (EM) using an objective scoring instrument, this installment of the ALiEM (Academic Life in Emergency Medicine) Blog and Podcast Watch series curated and scored relevant posts in the specific areas of pediatric EM.

Methods: The Approved Instructional Resources - Professional (AIR-Pro) series is a continuously building curriculum covering a new subject area every two months. For each area, six EM chief residents identify 3-5 advanced clinical questions. Using FOAMsearch.net to search blogs and podcasts, relevant posts are scored by eight reviewers from the AIR-Pro Board, which is …

Feasibility Of An Ed-To-Home Intervention To Engage Patients: A Mixed-Methods Investigation, Jessica Schumacher, Barbara J. Lutz, Allyson Hall, Jesse M. Pines, Andrea Jones, Phyllis Hendry, Colleen Kalynych, Donna L. Carden

Emergency Medicine Faculty Publications

Introduction: Older, chronically ill patients with limited health literacy are often under-engagedin managing their health and turn to the emergency department (ED) for healthcare needs. Wetested the impact of an ED-initiated coaching intervention on patient engagement and follow-updoctor visits in this high-risk population. We also explored patients’ care-seeking decisions. Methods: We conducted a mixed-methods study including a randomized controlled trial andindepth interviews in two EDs in northern Florida. Participants were chronically ill older EDpatients with limited health literacy and Medicare as a payer source. Patients were assignedto an evidencebased coaching intervention (n= 35) or usual post-ED care (n= 34). Qualitativeinterviews …

Spontaneous Subarachnoid Hemorrhage: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis Describing The Diagnostic Accuracy Of History, Physical Examination, Imaging, And Lumbar Puncture With An Exploration Of Test Thresholds., Christopher R Carpenter, Adnan M Hussain, Michael J Ward, Gregory J Zipfel, Susan Fowler, Jesse M Pines, Marco L A Sivilotti

Emergency Medicine Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Spontaneous subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is a rare, but serious etiology of headache. The diagnosis of SAH is especially challenging in alert, neurologically intact patients, as missed or delayed diagnosis can be catastrophic.

OBJECTIVES: The objective was to perform a diagnostic accuracy systematic review and meta-analysis of history, physical examination, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) tests, computed tomography (CT), and clinical decision rules for spontaneous SAH. A secondary objective was to delineate probability of disease thresholds for imaging and lumbar puncture (LP).

METHODS: PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and research meeting abstracts were searched up to June 2015 for studies of emergency department patients …

Webpoisoncontrol: Can Poison Control Be Automated?, Toby Litovitz, Blaine E Benson, Susan Smolinske

Emergency Medicine Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: A free webPOISONCONTROL app allows the public to determine the appropriate triage of poison ingestions without calling poison control. If accepted and safe, this alternative expands access to reliable poison control services to those who prefer the Internet over the telephone. This study assesses feasibility, safety, and user-acceptance of automated online triage of asymptomatic, nonsuicidal poison ingestion cases.

METHODS: The user provides substance name, amount, age, and weight in an automated online tool or downloadable app, and is given a specific triage recommendation to stay home, go to the emergency department, or call poison control for further guidance. Safety …

Traumatic Posterior Tibial Pseudoaneursym: A Rare Late Complication Repaired Conventionally, Farzad Amiri, Md, Zachary Sanford, Constantinous Constantinou, Md

Marshall Journal of Medicine

Posterior tibial artery pseudoaneurysms are extremely rare. They commonly present as a late complication of trauma or iatrogenic injury. Diagnosis can be elusive. Treatment has been described in the context of open primary repair, endovascular stenting, and coil embolization. There has been increasing interest in the use of endovascular treatment options for this type of injury. If left untreated, pseudoaneurysms can rupture, partially thrombose, expand and cause adjacent local compression and compartment syndrome. The following case presented is of a young gentleman with a posterior tibial pseudoaneurysm incidentally discovered after stepping on glass and the management of his posterior tibial …

Google Flu Trends Spatial Variability Validated Against Emergency Department Influenza-Related Visits., Joseph Jeffrey Klembczyk, Mehdi Jalalpour, Scott Levin, Raynard E Washington, Jesse M. Pines, Richard E Rothman, Andrea Freyer Dugas

Emergency Medicine Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Influenza is a deadly and costly public health problem. Variations in its seasonal patterns cause dangerous surges in emergency department (ED) patient volume. Google Flu Trends (GFT) can provide faster influenza surveillance information than traditional CDC methods, potentially leading to improved public health preparedness. GFT has been found to correlate well with reported influenza and to improve influenza prediction models. However, previous validation studies have focused on isolated clinical locations.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the study was to measure GFT surveillance effectiveness by correlating GFT with influenza-related ED visits in 19 US cities across seven influenza seasons, and to …

Anuria Secondary To Bilateral Obstructing Ureteral Stones In The Absence Of Renal Colic., Carolyn A Salter, Christopher Lang, Hernan O Altamar

Emergency Medicine Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Obstructing ureteral stones are a rare cause of anuria, which is typically from prerenal or renal etiologies. Classically, obstructive stones cause moderate to severe renal colic. Urolithiasis is rarely considered during evaluation of painless anuria.

CASE PRESENTATION: We present an unusual case of a 73-year-old Caucasian female who presented with anuria and was found to have large bilateral obstructing ureteral stones in the absence of renal colic.

CONCLUSION: Given that patients with obstructive anuria can be asymptomatic, urolithiasis should be considered in all patients presenting with anuria.

A Single Center Observational Study On Emergency Department Clinician Non-Adherence To Clinical Practice Guidelines For Treatment Of Uncomplicated Urinary Tract Infections, Catherine Zatorski, Mark Zocchi, Sara Cosgrove, Cynthia Rand, Gillian Brooks, Larissa May

Emergency Medicine Faculty Publications

Background

The Emergency Department (ED) is a frequent site of antibiotic use; poor adherence with evidence-based guidelines and broad-spectrum antibiotic overuse is common. Our objective was to determine rates and predictors of inappropriate antimicrobial use in patients with uncomplicated urinary tract infections (UTI) compared to the 2010 International Clinical Practice Guidelines (ICPG).

Methods

A single center, prospective, observational study of patients with uncomplicated UTI presenting to an urban ED between September 2012 and February 2014 that examined ED physician adherence to ICPG when treating uncomplicated UTIs. Clinician-directed antibiotic treatment was compared to the ICPG using a standardized case definition for …

Improving Timeliness For Acute Asthma Care For Paediatric Ed Patients Using A Nurse Driven Intervention: An Interrupted Time Series Analysis., Kathleen Brown, Sabah Iqbal, Su-Lin Sun, Jennifer Fritzeen, James Chamberlain, Paul C. Mullan

Emergency Medicine Faculty Publications

Asthma is the most common chronic paediatric disease treated in the emergency department (ED). Rapid corticosteroid administration is associated with improved outcomes, but our busy ED setting has made it challenging to achieve this goal. Our primary aim was to decrease the time to corticosteroid administration in a large, academic paediatric ED. We conducted an interrupted time series analysis for moderate to severe asthma exacerbations of one to 18 year old patients. A multidisciplinary team designed the intervention of a bedside nurse initiated administration of oral dexamethasone, to replace the prior system of a physician initiated order for oral prednisone. …

Intentional And Unintentional Poisoning In Pakistan: A Pilot Study Using The Emergency Departments Surveillance Project., Nadeem Ullah Khan, Ricardo Pérez-Núñez, Nudrat Shamim, Uzma Rahim Khan, Naureen Naseer, Asher Feroze, Junaid Abdul Razzak, Adnan A. Hyder

Department of Emergency Medicine

Background: Acute poisoning is one of the most common reasons for emergency department visits around the world. In Pakistan, the epidemiological data on poisoning is limited due to an under developed poison information surveillance system. We aim to describe the characteristics associated with intentional and unintentional poisoning in Pakistan presenting to emergency departments.
Methods: The data was extracted from the Pakistan National Emergency Department Surveillance (Pak-NEDS) which was an active surveillance conducted between November 2010 and March 2011. All patients, regardless of age, who presented with poisoning to any of Pakistan's seven major tertiary care centers' emergency departments, were included. …

Pattern Of Fall Injuries In Pakistan: The Pakistan National Emergency Department Surveillance (Pak-Neds) Study., Jabeen Fayyaz, Shirin Wadhwaniya, Hira Shahzad, Asher Feroze, Nukhba Zia, Mohammed Umer Mir, Uzma Rahim Khan, Sumera Iram, Sabir Ali, Junaid Abdul Razzak, Adnan A. Hyder

Department of Emergency Medicine

Background: We aimed to analyse the frequency and patterns of fall-related injuries presenting to the emergency departments (EDs) across Pakistan.
Methods: Pakistan National Emergency Departments surveillance system collected data from November 2010 to March 2011 on a 24/7 basis using a standardized tool in seven major EDs (five public and two private hospitals) in six major cities of Pakistan. For all patients presenting with fall-related injuries, we analysed data by intent with focus on unintentional falls. Simple frequencies were run for basic patient demographics, mechanism of falls, outcomes of fall injuries, mode of arrival to ED, investigations, and procedures with …