Management of Pleural Effusions in the Emergency Department.

2020 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
Author(s):  
MT Congedo ◽  
GM Ferretti ◽  
D Nachira ◽  
MA Pennisi
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Department ◽  
Systematic Approach ◽  
Acute Chest Pain ◽  
Pleural Effusions ◽  
Therapeutic Approaches ◽  
Massive Pleural Effusion ◽  
Emergency Department Setting ◽  
Clinical Conditions ◽  
Definitive Management

Background: In symptomatic patients, admitted in emergency department for acute chest pain and dyspnea, who require an urgent treatment, a rapid diagnosis and prompt management of massive pleural effusion or hemothorax can be lifesaving. The aim of this review was to summarize the current diagnostic and therapeutic approaches for the management of the main types of pleural effusions that physicians can have in an emergency department setting. Methods: Current literature about the topic was reviewed and critically reported, adding the experience of the authors in the management of pleural effusions in emergency settings. Results: The paper analyzed the main types of pleural effusions that physicians can have to treat. It illustrated the diagnostic steps by the principal radiological instruments, with a particular emphasis to the role of ultrasonography, in facilitating diagnosis and guiding invasive procedures. Then, the principal procedures, like thoracentesis and insertion of small and large bore chest drains, are indicated and illustrated according to the characteristics and the amount of the effusion and patient clinical conditions. Conclusion: The emergency physician must have a systematic approach that allows rapid recognition, clinical cause identification and definitive management of potential urgent pleural effusions.

The Role of Cardiac Risk Factor Burden in Diagnosing Acute Coronary Syndromes in the Emergency Department Setting

2007 ◽  
Vol 49 (2) ◽  
pp. 145-152.e1 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jin H. Han ◽  
Christopher J. Lindsell ◽  
Alan B. Storrow ◽  
Samuel Luber ◽  
James W. Hoekstra ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Department ◽  
Risk Factor ◽  
Acute Coronary Syndromes ◽  
Cardiac Risk ◽  
Cardiac Risk Factor ◽  
Emergency Department Setting ◽  
Coronary Syndromes ◽  
Risk Factor Burden

scholarly journals The role of physician assistants in pediatric emergency medicine: the physician's view

CJEM ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 15 (06) ◽  
pp. 321-329 ◽  
Author(s):  
Quynh Doan ◽  
Shalea Piteau ◽  
Sam Sheps ◽  
Joel Singer ◽  
Hubert Wong ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Department ◽  
Clinical Work ◽  
Physician Assistants ◽  
Pediatric Emergency ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Survey Tool ◽  
Clinical Encounters ◽  
Clinical Conditions ◽  
Selection Of

ABSTRACTObjective:To define the range of clinical conditions Canadian emergency pediatricians consider appropriate formanagement by physician assistants (PAs) and the degree of autonomy PAs should have in the pediatric emergency department (PED).Methods:We conducted a cross–sectional, pan-Canadian survey using electronic questionnaire technology: the Active Campaign Survey tool. We targeted PED physicians using the Pediatric Emergency Research Canada (PERC) network database (N = 297). Three outcome measures were assessed: demographic information, familiarity with PAs, and PA clinical roles in the PED. The level of PA involvement was assessed for 57 common nonemergent clinical conditions.Results:Of 297 physicians, 152 completed the survey, for a response rate of 51.2%. None of the 57 clinical categories achieved at least 85% agreement regarding PA management without direct physician involvement. Twenty-four clinical conditions had ≥ 15% agreement that any PA involvement would be inappropriate. For the remaining 33 clinical conditions, more than 85% of respondents felt that PA could appropriately manage but were divided between requiring direct and only indirect physician supervision. Respondents' selection of the number of conditions felt to be appropriate for PA involvement varied between the size of the emergency department (ED) in which they work (larger EDs 87.7–89.1% v. smaller EDs 74.2%) and familiarity with the clinical work of PAs in the ED (90.5–91.5% v. 82.2–84.7%).Conclusion:This national survey of Canadian PED physicians suggests that they feel PAs could help care for a large number of nonemergent clinical cases coming to the PED, but these clinical encounters would have to be directly supervised by a physician.

scholarly journals Chest Pain of Uncertain Aetiology: Role of Contrast Enhanced Computed Tomography in the Emergency Department

2016 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 205-211
Author(s):  
Firas Yassin ◽  
Chris Sawh ◽  
Pankaj Garg
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Department ◽  
Chest Pain ◽  
Acute Chest Pain ◽  
Coronary Event ◽  
Computed Tomographic ◽  
Contrast Enhanced Ct ◽  
Contrast Enhanced ◽  
Enhanced Ct ◽  
Enhanced Computed Tomography

There is increasing role of computed tomographic (CT) in the assessment of acute chest pain in the emergency department especially when the diagnosis is not clear. We report a case where non ECG gated contrast enhanced CT in the emergency department for rule-out of pulmonary embolus guided to the actual diagnosis, which was, acute coronary event, as evidenced by the presence of perfusion defect.

Dalbavancin Use in the Emergency Department Setting

2019 ◽  
Vol 53 (11) ◽  
pp. 1093-1101 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mitulkumar Patel ◽  
Samantha Smalley ◽  
Yanina Dubrovskaya ◽  
Justin Siegfried ◽  
Christopher Caspers ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Department ◽  
Selection Criteria ◽  
Primary Objective ◽  
Ambulatory Setting ◽  
Time To Recurrence ◽  
Emergency Department Setting ◽  
Patient Selection Criteria ◽  
Dosing Strategy

Background: Although dalbavancin’s (DBV’s) long half-life and one-time dosing strategy confer ideal administration in the ambulatory setting, the optimal role of DBV in the management of acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections (ABSSSIs) remains to be elucidated. Objectives: The primary objective of this study was to compare treatment outcomes of ABSSSI between patients who received DBV in the emergency department (ED) as part of standard care versus patients who received DBV as part of a telehealth program. Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study evaluating patients who received DBV at 3 urban EDs. The primary end point was the incidence of ABSSSI recurrence. Secondary outcomes included need for hospital admission and ED length of stay (LOS; in hours). Results: A total of 65 ABSSSI treatment courses were included; 42 were included in the telehealth criteria (TC) cohort and 23 in the initial criteria (IC) cohort. There were 14% (6/42) infection recurrences in the TC cohort and 22% (5/23) in the IC cohort, with median time to recurrence being 4 and 14 days, respectively. Median ED LOS was significantly shorter in the TC (5 vs 25 hours, P < 0.05). Numerically fewer individuals in the TC cohort required inpatient admission (0 vs n = 2, 9%). Conclusion and Relevance: Our results suggest that patients may be safely administered DBV in an ED setting, with telehealth follow-up. Providing structured patient selection criteria is an effective method of assisting ED providers in selecting appropriate DBV candidates to limit potential recurrences and readmissions.

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