Contributor: Aaron Lessen, MD Educational Pearls: Back pain is a common presenting complaint in the emergency department. Challenges arise when tailoring care to elderly populations using standard medical therapy: Muscle relaxants carry the risk of CNS depression or anticholinergic effects such as urinary retention and confusion. Pain medications such as opiates have side effects including…
Read MoreContributor: Aaron Lessen, MD Educational Pearls: What is a Nursemaid’s Elbow? A condition in which an elbow gets partially pulled out of place (a radial head subluxation) Usually happens in kids under 5 because the ligaments around their elbow are still loose. A common situation is when an adult pulls a child up by the…
Read MoreContributor: Aaron Lessen, MD Educational Pearls: There are many techniques for reducing a shoulder dislocation A recent study discussed a new variation of closed reduction technique: wrist-clamping shoulder-lifting The patient is in a sitting position The provider holds the wrist of the injured arm with both hands and slowly rotates the arm to 90 degrees…
Read MoreContributor: Nick Tsipis MD Educational Pearls: The scaphoid bone is the most proximal carpal bone just distal to the radius Fractures of the scaphoid bone are sometimes missed by plain X-rays A 2020 review found a 21.8% incidence of missed scaphoid fractures later diagnosed by advanced imaging modalities Only MRI has a sensitivity above 90%…
Read MoreContributor: Jared Scott, MD Educational Pearls: If a patient is in significant pain, a digital block can be helpful. Pain management alone may allow for manual ring removal. Ring cutters and trauma shears with specialized ring cutters can be attempted but will destroy the ring and some materials may be resistant to cutting. 2 alternative…
Read MoreContributor: Aaron Lessen, MD Educational Pearls: Olecranon bursitis refers to inflammation in the bursa of the elbow and can be due to infection or trauma Recent study examined treating suspected septic olecranon bursitis with antibiotics versus drainage About 90% of the patients treated with antibiotic therapy for this issue did not require subsequent drainage or…
Read MoreContributor: Donald Stader, MD Educational Pearls: Hip Dislocation Prolonged dislocations can impair blood supply to femoral head Hip dislocation for >6 hours puts patient at high risk for needing a hip replacement in the next two year Knee Dislocation High mechanism Often looks anatomically normal on knee x-ray Vascular injuries of the popliteal artery can…
Read MoreContributor: Nick Tsipis, MD Educational Pearls: Humerus fractures can be characterized as proximal, midshaft, and distal fractures Proximal humerus fracture is the second-most common fracture in elderly patients Primary complication is with the axillary nerve and axillary artery Vast majority are managed nonoperatively with a sling, reduction usually not indicated Women comprise 70% of proximal…
Read MoreContributor: Jared Scott, MD Educational Pearls: While it is rare to have a native hip dislocation, it is relatively common to dislocate a prosthetic hip The mechanism for dislocation is usually adduction, flexion, and internal rotation the hip which can occur when walking Arthroplasty in the setting of trauma or fracture, posterior approach during surgery,…
Read MoreContributor: Jared Scott, MD Educational Pearls: Pathologic bone fractures occur due to weakened bones from chronic disease and with less force when compared to non-pathologic fractures Can be due to bone tumors, bone cysts, infections (osteomyelitis), osteogenesis imperfecta, Paget’s disease of bone, and multiple myeloma Have moth bitten or lytic appearance and you can sometimes…
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