Propofol for conscious sedation: a case series.
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Publications and source records attributed to D C Seaberg.
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The objective of this study was to develop a decision rule for ordering x-rays in knee injuries. Phase I was a retrospective chart review of 201 consecutive patients receiving knee radiographs in the emergency department in a 10-month period. Logistic regression was performed on 11 clinical indicators to develop a clinical decision rule. Phase II was a prospective validation study on 133 consecutive patients with knee injuries. All patients received radiographs to validate the decision rule. Sensitivity, specificity, and misclassification rate were calculated. Logistic regression analysis found that a fall or blunt trauma mechanism yielded a logistic regression sensitivity of 92%, specificity of 57%, with a false-negative rate of 0.9%. The addition of inability to ambulate and age (younger than 12 or older than 50 years of age) yielded a sensitivity of 92% with a specificity of 63%. The prospective study found the combination of fall or blunt trauma with either inability to ambulate or age (younger than 12 to older than 50 years of age) was 100% sensitive, with a specificity of 79%. The misclassification rate was 20%. Using this decision rule, the number of x-rays taken could have been reduced by 78%. A larger multicenter validation study of this knee radiograph decision rule is needed before widespread clinical usage.
STUDY HYPOTHESIS: 3,4-Diaminopyridine (3,4-DAP) may reverse the hemodynamic effects of severe verapamil toxicity. DESIGN: A nonblinded acute animal preparation. INTERVENTIONS: Eighteen chloralose-anesthetized and instrumented swine were poisoned with verapamil at 10 mg/kg/hr for five minutes and then 5 mg/kg/hr until a systolic blood pressure of 55 mm Hg was achieved. Heart rate, lead II ECG, mean arterial pressure, left ventricular dP/dT max, and cardiac index were monitored. Nine control animals received 0.2 mL/kg/min infusion of normal saline, and nine treatment animals received similar volumes of 1 mg/kg/min 3,4-DAP until systolic blood pressure reached 100 mm Hg, an elapsed time of 30 minutes, or death. RESULTS: Verapamil toxicity was produced in all animals following an average dose of 1.38 +/- 0.44 mg/kg verapamil, and resulted in diminished mean arterial pressure, dP/dT max, cardiac index, and heart rate to average values of 47%, 32%, 46%, and 88% of baseline values, respectively. Transient atrioventricular dissociation was noted in only 22% of cases. 3,4-DAP treatment (with an average dose of 14 +/- 5.6 mg/kg) resulted in significant increases in mean arterial pressure, dP/dT max, cardiac index, and heart rate to 136%, 298%, 149%, and 158% of baseline values, respectively. Mortality was unchanged (22% in both groups). 3,4-DAP treatment was complicated by muscle twitching, tachycardia (rate of more than 180) and hypertension (diastolic blood pressure of more than 110 mm Hg) each in 44% of cases. CONCLUSION: Although 3,4-DAP reversed the hypotensive and negative inotropic effects of verapamil toxicity, it failed to improve survival and resulted in several complications including muscle twitching, tachycardia, and hypertension.
STUDY OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of unrecognized pregnancy in the emergency department and to ascertain if patient history can effectively detect unrecognized pregnancies. DESIGN: Prospective study. SETTING: Urban ED with annual census of 40,000. PARTICIPANTS: One hundred ninety-one consecutive women meeting inclusion criteria. INTERVENTIONS: All participants completed a menstrual/sexual history questionnaire and had a urine pregnancy test. RESULTS: Overall, we found a 6.3% prevalence of unrecognized pregnancy. Women with abdominal/pelvic complaints had a 13% prevalence; those with other complaints had a 2.5% prevalence. Two historical risk factors, the patient's suspicion that she might be pregnant and an abnormal last menstrual period, had a statistically significant correlation with unrecognized pregnancy. A third risk factor, the presence of abdominal/pelvic complaints, nearly achieved statistical significance. These risk factors detected all unrecognized pregnancies with a sensitivity of 100% and a specificity of 54%. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of unrecognized pregnancy in our ED was 6.3%. Historical risk factors detected all of them.
Subungual hematoma is a commonly encountered problem in the emergency department. We designed a prospective, observational study to determine if treatment of simple subungual hematomas (SUH) by nail trephination alone is without cosmetic or infectious complications. Over a 2-year study period, 48 patients met inclusion criteria. Radiographs of all digits were taken to detect distal phalangeal fracture and SUH size was measured. Nail trephination was performed using electrocautery, and all patients reported relief of pain after the procedure. Follow-up was achieved in 45 of 48 patients with a total of 47 SUH. Average follow-up period was 10.3 +/- 4.3 months. By patient history, average time for the nail to grow back was 4.0 +/- 2.6 months. No complications of infection, osteomyelitis, or major nail deformities occurred in any patients treated by nail trephination, regardless of SUH size or presence of fracture. In simple SUH, regardless of size, nail removal with suture repair of the nail bed, as suggested in previous studies, is unnecessary.
Tricyclic antidepressant toxicity is a frequently encountered and life-threatening problem in emergency medicine. This trial investigated the effect of alpha-1-acid glycoprotein (AAG), an acute phase reactant with a high affinity for basic drugs, on the clinical and pharmacological manifestations of nortriptyline (NT) toxicity. Fourteen pentobarbital-anesthetized swine (10-13 kg) were given a 10-min loading dose followed by a 45-min maintenance infusion of NT to achieve a plasma level of approximately 1000 ng/ml. At the end of the infusion, 7 control (C) animals were given 50 ml of 0.9% saline and 7 AAG animals were given 50 ml of 10% AAG, both over 15 min. Heart rate, QRS duration, QTc interval, blood pressure, temperature, arterial blood gases, albumin, and plasma-free and plasma-bound NT levels were measured at baseline and at every hour for 4 h. One death was noted in the AAG group and none in the C group (p = NS). Mean total NT levels after infusion in the C group was 1240 +/- 1118 ng/ml and in the AAG group 804 +/- 194 ng/ml (p = NS). No significant differences were found in the plasma-free fractions between groups at any time interval. However, significantly shorter QTc intervals were found during treatment with AAG compared to controls (P = 0.02). A trend toward increased systolic blood pressure (p = 0.09) and shorter QRS duration (p = 0.09) was noted during AAG treatment. No significant changes were shown between groups with respect to heart rate, arterial blood gases, or albumin measurements.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Prehospital therapy has rapidly evolved over the last 25 years. Currently, controversies exist about the interventions, pharmacotherapy, and equipment available to the prehospital care provider. Strong medical control is imperative to better define the protocols and technologies of prehospital care.
A 72-year-old woman with acute myocardial infarction underwent intravenous streptokinase therapy following an unsuccessful attempt at right subclavian vein catheterization. Three hours after initiation of therapy, chest radiograph revealed a markedly elevated right hemidiaphragm. Subsequent computed tomography and fluoroscopy of the chest revealed paralysis of the phrenic nerve by hematoma. This case demonstrates the hazards of attempted cannulation of noncompressible vessels when fibrinolytic therapy is anticipated.
INTRODUCTION: The esophageal detector device (EDD) recently has been found to assess endotracheal (ET) tube placement accurately. This study describes the reliability of the EDD in determining the position of the ET tube in clinical airway situations that are difficult. METHODS: This was a prospective, randomized, single-blinded, controlled laboratory investigation. Two airway managers (an emergency-medicine attending physician and a resident) determined ET-tube placement using the EDD in five swine in respiratory arrest. The ET tube was place in the following clinical airway situations: 1) esophagus; 2) esophagus with 1 liter of air instilled; 3) trachea; 4) trachea with 5 ml/kg water instilled; and 5) right mainstem bronchus. Anatomic location of the tube was verified by thoracotomy of the left side of the chest. RESULTS: There was 100% correlation between the resident and attending physician's use of the EDD. The EDD was 100% accurate in the determining tube placement in the esophagus, in the esophagus with 1 liter of air instilled, in the trachea, and in the right mainstem bronchus. The airway managers were only 80% accurate in detecting tracheal intubations when fluid was present. CONCLUSIONS: The EDD is an accurate and reliable device for detecting ET-tube placement in most clinical situations. Tube placement in fluid-filled trachea, lungs, or both, which occurs in pulmonary edema and drowning, may not be detected using this device.
OBJECTIVE: To test the hypothesis that combination pharmacotherapy with delayed countershock would produce higher rates of return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) and one-hour survival when compared with standard Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) therapy. METHODS: A prospective, block-randomized, blinded, laboratory experiment was conducted in an established swine model of prolonged ventricular fibrillation (VF). Fifty-six female domestic swine were anesthetized, instrumented, and shocked into VF with a bipolar pacing catheter. The VF was untreated for 8 minutes, then basic CPR was done mechanically for 1 minute. At 9 minutes of VF, the animals were randomized to treatment with one of seven therapies: group 1, combination pharmacotherapy with epinephrine (0.20 mg/kg), lidocaine (1.0 mg/kg), bretylium (5.0 mg/kg), propranolol (1.0 mg), and U-74389G (3.0 mg/kg); group 2, epinephrine (0.20 mg/kg); group 3, lidocaine (1.0 mg/kg) and bretylium (5.0 mg/kg); group 4, propranolol (1.0 mg); group 5, U-74389G (3.0 mg/kg); group 6, normal saline solution (volume equal to that for group 1); and group 7, standard ACLS (first countershock at 9 minutes of VF). Initial countershocks for groups 1-6 were given after 11 minutes of VF. Data were analyzed with two-tailed Fisher's exact test, with alpha set at 0.05. RESULTS: Return of spontaneous circulation occurred in group 1 = 8/8 (100%); group 2 = 7/8 (88%); group 3 = 3/8 (38%); group 4 = 3/8 (38%); group 5 = 5/8 (63%); group 6 = 4/8 (50%); and group 7 = 3/8 (38%). One-hour survival occurred in group 1 = 8/8 (100%); group 2 = 5/8 (63%); group 3 = 2/8 (25%); group 4 = 2/8 (25%); group 5 = 3/8 (38%); group 6 = 2/8 (25%); and group 7 = 1/8 (13%). CONCLUSIONS: Combination pharmacotherapy with delayed countershock (group 1) produced significantly higher rates of ROSC (p = 0.03) and one-hour survival (p = 0.001) when compared with standard ACLS in this porcine model of prolonged VF.