Tactical Medicine News Blog

Background: Syncope, defined as a transient loss of consciousness with a complete recovery, is a common ED presentation. There are numerous causes of syncope ranging from the relatively benign (eg vasovagal syncope) to the potentially life-threatening (eg dysrhythmia, ectopic pregnancy, aortic dissection). Among the life-threatening diagnoses is pulmonary embolism (PE). PE is a common cause of sudden, unexpected, non-traumatic death and, syncope in the setting of PE portends poor 30-day outcomes (Roncon 2018). What is not well known is how often ED presentations of syncope are the result of PE. A study in 2016 demonstrated a 17.3% rate of PE in first time syncope presenting to the ED but, had numerous significant biases and limitations (Prandoni 2016). Ultimately, this study is unlikely to reflect the reality of ED syncope cases and lacks external validity. Incorporating the PESIT trial data into clinical assessment would lead to a profound increase in PE evaluation without adding significant benefit. Additional clinical data demonstrating the true prevalence of PE in syncope patients is needed to confirm these suspicions.

Welcome back to REBELCast.  In this episode we talked with Jacob Avila about US guided PIVs. Difficult IV access in an already busy department can be a frustrating thing, but it doesn’t have to be.  Patients and providers are often frustrated for different reasons.  Patients for multiple IV attempts and providers because of the time it can take to perform the procedure, delays in care, or lack of success. If you want to get better at this all-important procedure, read/listen on.

Take Home Points Bed Up Head Elevated (BUHE) position is a simple intervention that can reduce the rate of intubation-related complications. The bougie should be considered standard practice in all intubations and has an NNT = 11 for 1st pass success. Consider using Suction Assisted Laryngoscopy for Airway Decontamination (SALAD) for all intubations to avoid the failed airway due to contamination.

End-tidal CO2 (EtCO2) monitoring is a measure of metabolism, perfusion, and ventilation. In the ED, we typically think of a EtCO2 as a marker of perfusion and ventilation. However, EtCO2 is an extremely powerful surrogate for endotracheal tube (ETT) Position, CPR Quality, Return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC), Strategies for treatment, and Termination (of CPR). Do these letters look familiar? They should! In this post we take a deep dive into each of these potential uses of EtCO2 in the ED.

A 28-year-old G4P3 at 41 weeks presents to the ED via EMS. She is in active labor. On exam, a neonatal head is visible. Two minutes later, you deliver a healthy vigorous baby boy and hand him to your colleague. You notice persistent bleeding from her vaginal canal. Her tachycardia climbs to 110 bpm and her latest blood pressure is 78/48 mm Hg. We review postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) and the 4 T’s – a memory aid to help ED providers manage this life-threatening presentation.