Contributor: Aaron Lessen MD Educational Pearls: A recent randomized controlled trial compared ondansetron 8 mg IV with droperidol 2.5 mg IV for the treatment of nausea & vomiting in the emergency department. Overall, droperidol and ondansetron had similar primary outcomes in acute nausea control Symptom improvement in 93% of patients receiving droperidol vs. 87% receiving…
Read MoreContributor: Travis Barlock, MD Educational Pearls: The causes of pancreatitis can be remembered with the mnemonic: “GET SMASHED” G: Gallstones (Most common cause of pancreatitis overall) E: Ethanol (Alcohol consumption is the most common cause of chronic pancreatitis) T: Trauma S: Steroids M: Malignancy A: Autoimmune S: Scorpion Sting H: Hypertryglyceridemia E: ERCP D: Drugs…
Read MoreContributor: Aaron Lessen, MD Educational Pearls: Historically, pancreatitis has been treated with aggressive IV fluid rehydration. Recently published data shows this may not be appropriate. A randomized, controlled, multi-hospital trial evaluated outcomes for patients with acute pancreatitis receiving lactated Ringer’s solution Aggressive fluid resuscitation group received 20ml/kg bolus + 3ml/hour Moderate fluid resuscitation groups received…
Read MoreContributor: Aaron Lessen, MD Educational Pearls: Patients with recurrent ascites may need frequent outpatient or emergency department paracentesis which can be time consuming and uncomfortable for patients. Tunneled peritoneal catheters are a permanent alternative therapy which allows fluid drainage at home by patient or caregiver. There has been theoretical concern that long term placement of…
Read MoreContributor: Jarod Scott, MD Educational Pearls: Rectal prolapse is an evagination of the rectal tissue through the anal opening Factors that weaken the pelvic floor muscles increase the risk of rectal prolapse These include age > 40, female, multiple pregnancies, constipation, diarrhea, cystic fibrosis, prior pelvic floor surgeries, or other pelvic floor abnormalities Noninvasive treatment…
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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…
Read More Contributor: Sam Killian, MD Educational Pearls: Transaminitis refers to the elevation of transaminases, enzymes of the liver (AST and ALT) Elevation of ALT is relatively specific to the liver, but AST is found in more organs than the liver including the muscle If AST is significantly greater than ALT, consider a musculoskeletal origin such…
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Atraumatic Spleen rupture Chief Complaint: Abdominal Pain HPI 41-year-old male presents to the emergency department with reports of the same exact abdominal pain as prior episodes of pancreatitis described as beginning last night, progressively worsening, 10 out of 10, epigastric, sharp, and stabbing. It is the same as pancreatitis pain he has had in the…
Read MoreContributor: Ricky Dhaliwal, MD Educational Pearls: Esophageal food impaction can be managed in the ED prior to calling GI for endoscopy Coca-cola, glucagon, benzodiazepines, calcium channel blockers, and dissolved nitroglycerin are all options to try For pediatric patients, weighted bougies can be used under sedation to attempt retrieval of the food bolus Always evaluate airway…
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a painful twist Chief Complaint Abdominal Pain HPI 47-year-old female presenting to the emergency department with approximately 2 hours of right upper quadrant pain described as sharp, constant, worse with movement, and associated with nausea. Patient self-induced emesis x1. She has never had this before. It did not change with 2 tablets of Tylenol at…
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