Tactical Medicine News Blog

Background: Ureteric (renal) colic is a common, painful condition encountered in the Emergency Department (ED). Sustained contraction of smooth muscle in the ureter as a kidney stone passes the length of the ureter leads to pain. The majority of stones will pass spontaneously (i.e. without urologic intervention). For over a decade, calcium channel blockers (i.e. nifedipine) and, more commonly, alpha adrenoreceptor antagonists (i.e. tamsulosin) have been employed in the treatment of ureteric colic for their potential ability to increase stone passage, reduce pain medication use and reduce urologic interventions. These interventions were mostly based on poor methodologic studies and meta-analyses of these flawed studies. Over the past 3-4 years, a small number of higher-quality RCTs have been published (Ferre 2009, Pickard 2015, Furyk 2016). These studies have demonstrated a lack of benefit for routine use of alpha blockers. However, secondary outcomes suggest a possible benefit in larger stones (> 6 mm). In spite of recent multiple studies, the use of alpha blockers remains an area of active debate.

We simply have been unable to contain our excitement!  You may have heard whispers on the internet, but we can now confirm that indeed, the rumors are true… The ALiEM Faculty Incubator will be accepting applications for next year’s class effective immediately! Applications are now open for the new 2017-18 ALiEM Faculty Incubator for educator-scholars ready to take their careers to the next level — from theory to application. Applications are open NOW. Here are the 6 reasons we are incredibly excited about this year’s version of the “Facubator”.

A peer review process, in one form or another, has long been the de facto standard for academic publishing. In 2013, ALiEM was the first FOAM resource to initiate an attributed peer review process for all submitted content–effectively bringing a traditional standard to a new frontier of medical education.1 Since our expert peer review (EPR) program inception, reviewers have published critical appraisals alongside 114 ALiEM posts to date.

The Problem While the ACGME has required EM residency curricula to incorporate quality improvement (QI), programs have faced the challenge of executing this in a meaningful way. How can EM residency programs effectively engage learners in an action-based curriculum for QI?

Background: Intraosseous (IO) access can play an important role in the resuscitation of the critically ill patient to help expedite delivery of critical medications (i.e. RSI). Much like with peripheral or central access, obesity can present a challenge to placement of an IO as accurate placement relies on use of landmarks which may not be palpable in this group. Additionally, increased soft tissue depth may render standard needles ineffective. IO needles require 5 mm of excess length from skin to bony cortex to ensure successful placement (i.e. maximal depth of 20 mm for a 25 mm needle). Studies investigating these questions are necessary in order to understand how reliable IO access will be in obese patients.