Tactical Medicine News Blog
PV Card: Local anesthetic toxicity calculations
Posted by David Murphy on
Local anesthetics (LAs) are widely employed to achieve tissue infiltration, peripheral and regional anesthesia, and neuraxial blockades. Despite their well-established toxic dose limits, these agents continue to pose a substantial risk of morbidity and mortality due to local anesthetic toxicity and overdose.
AC Joint Separations: Overview of diagnosis and treatment
Posted by Matt Astin, MD on
Separation of the acromioclavicular (AC) joint is a common injury encountered in the emergency department. Keys to optimal outcome and return of function in these patients include knowledge of injury mechanism, diagnosis and classification, and initial treatment.
Critical Care Horizons
Posted by Marco Torres on
Please welcome a new development in critical care publishing with the launch of a new open access critical care journal: CRITICAL CARE HORIZONS!!! This will be a fresh, new, original voice in the critical care literature, offering thought provoking, cutting-edge commentary, opinion papers, plus state-of-the art review articles.
REBEL ECG of the Week 7
Posted by Marco Torres on
89 year old male with PMH of hypertension, stage 3 chronic kidney disease with chief complaint of shortness of breath. Several days ago patient had a laminectomy for radicular pain. He was doing fine post-operatively and began to develop gradual shortness of breath. He had no complaints of chest pain, nausea/vomiting, fevers, diaphoresis, but did have some weakness. There were no prior ECGs for comparison. BP: 98/48 HR: 103 RR: 18 O2 on RA: 94% Temp: 38.6 JVD to the angle of the mandible Bibasilar Crackles Sinus Tachycardia Bilateral lower extremity pitting edema Labs: Na 125, K+ 4.2, Creatinine 2, BNP > 2500 ECG from triage is shown…
High risk back pain: Cauda Equina Syndrome (EREM)
Posted by Matthew DeLaney, MD on
Cauda equina syndrome (CES), which occurs due to compression of the distal lumbar and sacral nerve roots, is a potentially devastating cause of back pain. CES is often missed on the patient’s initial visit which can lead to significant neurologic compromise in a matter of hours [1]. To improve patient outcomes and minimize medicolegal risk, providers need to understand the limitations of the history and physical and carefully consider the diagnosis of CES in any patient with back pain.