Contributor: Alec Coston, MD Case Report Summary: A 17-year-old female involved in a motor vehicle collision presented to a rural emergency facility via personally operated vehicle. During workup and initial CT scan, the patient began rapidly decompensating with CT revealing a 1.5cm epidural hematoma with 7mm of midline shift. The patient went from being able…
Read MoreContributor: Aaron Lessen, MD Educational Pearls: A prospective study at the Mayo Clinic Rochester was conducted to examine whether patients actively using their phones on initial assessment in the ED was associated with higher discharge rates The study included 292 patients, and only about 15% of patients were on their phone The patients on their…
Read MoreContributor: Taylor Lynch, MD Educational Pearls: The KLM Flight Disaster, also known as the Tenerife Airport Disaster, occurred on 27 March 1977. It involved the collision of two Boeing 747 passenger jets from KLM and Pan Am Airlines, resulting in 583 fatalities. What fell through the cracks to cause this incident? The captain of the…
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Back from the Dead Chief Complaint: Chest Tightness HPI: 55-year-old male reporting chest tightness 8 out of 10 that began right before getting in the shower just prior to arrival to the ED, has been persistent and is now at a 5 out of 10. He took some aspirin but nothing else to treat it,…
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A Shocking Adverse Effect Chief Complaint: Defibrillator shock HPI: 50-year-old biologic male who identifies as a female presented after reportedly being shocked by her defibrillator 5 times before calling EMS, EMS noted that they witnessed 1 shock. They also noted that blood pressure was in the low 100s and heart rate was between 200-260 before…
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A Shocking Adverse Effect Chief Complaint: Defibrillator shock HPI: 50-year-old biologic male who identifies as a female presented after reportedly being shocked by her defibrillator 5 times before calling EMS, EMS noted that they witnessed 1 shock. They also noted that blood pressure was in the low 100s and heart rate was between 200-260 before…
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The Not So Simple Status Epilepticus From A Tumor That’s Not A Tumor Chief Complaint: Seizure HPI: 16-year-old male brought in by EMS for seizure-like activity for 15 minutes while at his uncle’s house. On arrival to scene, EMS noted tonic clonic activity was noted in all extremities by EMS and 5mg IM Versed given…
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tastes so good, hurts so bad Chief Complaint: Esophageal Foreign Body HPI: 31-year-old male presents to emergency department with reports of an esophageal foreign body. He states that he was eating chicken and had a large piece of chicken get stuck in his chest. He is vomiting up liquid after attempts of swallowing water, not…
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A SUPERIOR COCKTAIL Chief Complaint: Seizures HPI: 26-year-old male presents to the emergency department by EMS after he reportedly had 2 witnessed seizures by friends, who then called EMS. Described as tonic-clonic. EMS notes that he was postictal on arrival. Patient notes that he has not had seizures before in the past. He reports that…
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the slow roller Chief Complaint: Lethargy HPI: 56-year-old male who uses a wheelchair at baseline arrives via EMS from home with complaints of lethargy. EMS was originally contacted because occupants of the patient’s home thought his blood glucose level was low. The patient had slowed respirations and was bradycardic upon EMS arrival. His blood glucose…
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