Development of a remote learning educational model for international Emergency Medicine trainees in the era of COVID-19

Background The COVID-19 pandemic has pressured post-graduate medical education programs to shift from traditional in-person teaching to remote teaching and learning. Remote learning in medical education has been described in the literature mostly in the context of local in-country teaching. International remote medical education poses unique challenges for educators, especially in low-middle income countries (LMICs) who need continued Emergency Medicine (EM) specialty development. Our objective is to describe the development and implementation of our remote educational curriculum for EM trainees in West Bengal, India, and to assess trainee satisfaction with our remote learning curriculum. Methods Our curriculum was developed by adapting remote learning techniques used in Western post-graduate medical education, conducting literature searches on remote learning modalities, and through collaboration with local faculty in India. We assessed resident satisfaction in our curriculum with feedback surveys and group discussions. Results The remote educational curriculum had overall high trainee satisfaction ratings for weekly livestream video lectures and throughout our monthly educational modules (median ratings 9-10 out of a 10-point Likert scale). Qualitative feedback regarding specific lecture topics and educational modules were also received. Conclusions International remote education in LMICs poses a unique set of challenges to medical educators. Residents in our study reported high satisfaction with the curriculum, but there is a lack of clarity regarding how a remote curriculum may impact academic and clinical performance. Future studies are needed to further evaluate the efficacy and academic and clinical implications of remote medical education in LMICs.

Tenecteplase vs. alteplase for acute ischemic stroke: a systematic review

Introduction Thrombolysis for acute ischemic stroke (AIS) with alteplase is the currently approved therapy for patients who present within 4.5 h of symptom onset and meet criteria. Recently, there has been interest in the thrombolytic tenecteplase, a modified version of alteplase, due to its lower cost, ease of administration, and studies reporting better outcomes when compared to alteplase. This systematic review compares the efficacy of tenecteplase vs. alteplase with regard to three outcomes: (1) rate of symptomatic hemorrhage, (2) functional outcome at 90 days, and (3) reperfusion grade after thrombectomy to compare the efficacy of both thrombolytics in AIS Methods The search was conducted in August 2021 in PubMed, filtered for randomized controlled trials, and studies in English. The main search term was “tenecteplase for acute stroke.” Results A total of 6 randomized clinical trials including 1675 patients with AIS was included. No one’s study compared alteplase to tenecteplase with all three outcomes after acute ischemic stroke; however, by using a combination of the results, this systematic review summarizes whether tenecteplase outperforms alteplase. Conclusions The available evidence suggests that tenecteplase appears to be a better thrombolytic agent for acute ischemic stroke when compared to alteplase.

Spontaneous globe subluxation: a case report and review of the literature

Background Spontaneous globe subluxation (SGS) is an atraumatic anterior dislocation of the eyeball. It is exceedingly rare. Understanding SGS predisposing factors may help uncover its etiology and undertake vision-saving management. Case presentation A 48-year-old female presented to the ED with her right eye out of its socket. She reported blurry vision, photophobia, and pain in the affected eye. She was unable to close her right eyelid and was in obvious distress. On arrival, her blood pressure was elevated. Her medical history was notable for hypertension and obesity. On physical examination, extraocular eye movements were not intact, and the globe appeared whole and round. She was also unable to count fingers with the affected eye. There was no visible trauma to the face. Multiple wet gauzes with sterile saline were placed over the displaced eyeball. Direct and even pressure was applied on the globe. Within 30 s, the globe was reduced back in. The patient was able to close her eyelids and reports substantial pain relief with reduction. A CT scan of the orbits was then obtained, demonstrating mild bilateral proptosis. The globes were normal and symmetric. No intraconal or extraconal abscess or infection was seen. There were no intraconal or extraconal masses. There was no acute orbital traumatic injury, no avulsion of the optic nerve, ocular rupture, or retrobulbar hematoma. After reviewing the case with an ophthalmologist, a follow-up appointment with the ophthalmologist was arranged. The patient was discharged on erythromycin ointment. Post-discharge investigation of the CT imaging revealed dilated optic nerve sheaths, tortuosity of the optic nerve, and empty sella. Conclusions In addition to causing distress and severe anxiety, SGS poses numerous immediate as well as long-term complications. Traction of the optic nerve and retinal vasculature may potentially cause retinal venous congestion and loss of visual acuity with potential vision loss. In the absence of known risk factors or disease processes, orbital imaging and serological studies for thyroid ophthalmopathy should be considered.

A fatal case of traumatic brain injury with severe coagulopathy due to Rhabdophis tigrinus (yamakagashi) bites: a case report

Background Yamakagashi venom is a prothrombin activator, leading to disseminated intravascular coagulation. We report a fatal case of severe coagulopathy from head trauma assumed to be caused by a yamakagashi bite. Case presentation An 80-year-old man fell and developed systemic tonic–clonic convulsions. Head computed tomography revealed brain contusion and acute subdural hematoma. Physical examination revealed two bite marks with persistent bleeding on the right lower leg. The patient stated that he had been bitten by some creature 3 days prior, but the bite was left untreated. Laboratory tests showed fibrinogen levels below the detection limit. Although eighteen units of fresh frozen plasma were administered for coagulopathy, fibrinogen levels did not improve. He died about 18 h after a head injury. Conclusion In this case of a yamakagashi bite with active bleeding due to trauma, early administration of yamakagashi antivenom should be considered to control coagulopathy.

Pediatric tizanidine toxicity reversed with naloxone: a case report

Background Tizanidine, an α-2 adrenoceptor agonist, is widely prescribed for the management of spasticity in adults. Case reports on pediatric tizanidine overdose are limited. Here, we report a case of pediatric tizanidine toxicity that was reversed with naloxone. Case presentation A 3-year-old male presented to the emergency department with lethargy, bradycardia, and bradypnea after accidental ingestion of multiple tizanidine tablets. Improvements in the level of consciousness and respiratory and heart rates were observed after two intravenous administrations of naloxone at a dose of 0.05 and 0.1 mg/kg, respectively. Conclusions This case report provides further evidence regarding the use of naloxone as a viable antidote for centrally acting α-2 receptor agonists and presents additional epidemiologic data on childhood tizanidine poisoning.

Bioresorbable plate fracture after cranioplasty caused by head injury: a pediatric case

Background Recently, bone fixation materials have been developed as surgical materials. Bioabsorbable materials offer several advantages over other materials and are widely used. We report a rare case of the fracture of bioresorbable plates caused by head injury and describe some considerations. Case description A 6-year-old boy suffered from consciousness disturbance. He was admitted to our hospital and diagnosed with left frontal subcortical hemorrhage due to ruptured arteriovenous malformation (AVM). He received the surgery of removal of the AVM with decompressive craniectomy. He was discharged without any neurologic deficit and underwent the cranioplasty 4 months after the initial surgery. Two months after the last treatment, he was fallen and hit his left frontal head. The next day, he noticed an abnormal bulge in the injured area. We diagnosed the bulging as cerebrospinal fluid leakage because of the dural tear. The repairment of dural tear was performed. We found that two bioresorbable plates used by cranioplasty were both cracked, and the dura mater beneath them was torn. We repaired the damaged dura with an artificial dura mater. After surgery, cerebrospinal fluid leakage did not occur. Conclusion It has been reported that the durability of bioresorbable plates is no less than that of titanium plates. We experienced a relatively rare case in which bioabsorbable plate used for bone fixation was damaged due to head trauma. After craniotomy or cranioplasty using bioresorbable plates, special attention should be paid to head trauma that involves bone flap sinking force and side bending stress.

Keywords reflecting sepsis presentation based on mode of emergency department arrival: a retrospective cross-sectional study

Background Current sepsis screening tools are predominantly based on vital signs. However, patients with serious infections frequently present with normal vital signs and there has been an increased interest to include other variables such as symptoms in screening tools to detect sepsis. The majority of patients with sepsis arrive to the emergency department by emergency medical services. Our hypothesis was that the presentation of sepsis, including symptoms, may differ between patients arriving to the emergency department by emergency medical services and patients arriving by other means. This information is of interest to adapt future sepsis screening tools to the population in which they will be implemented. The aim of the current study was to compare the prevalence of keywords reflecting the clinical presentation of sepsis based on mode of arrival among septic patients presenting to the emergency department. Methods Retrospective cross-sectional study of 479 adult septic patients. Keywords reflecting sepsis presentation upon emergency department arrival were quantified and analyzed based on mode of arrival, i.e., by emergency medical services or by other means. We adjusted for multiple comparisons by applying Bonferroni-adjusted significance levels for all comparisons. Adjustments for age, gender, and sepsis severity were performed by stratification. All patients were admitted to the emergency department of Södersjukhuset, Stockholm, and discharged with an ICD-10 code compatible with sepsis between January 1, and December 31, 2013. Results “Abnormal breathing” (51.8% vs 20.5%, p value < 0.001), “abnormal circulation” (38.4% vs 21.3%, p value < 0.001), “acute altered mental status” (31.1% vs 13.1%, p value < 0.001), and “decreased mobility” (26.1% vs 10.7%, p value < 0.001) were more common among patients arriving by emergency medical services, while “pain” (71.3% vs 40.1%, p value < 0.001) and “risk factors for sepsis” (50.8% vs 30.8%, p value < 0.001) were more common among patients arriving by other means. Conclusions The distribution of most keywords related to sepsis presentation was similar irrespective of mode of arrival; however, some differences were present. This information may be useful in clinical decision tools or sepsis screening tools.

Feasibility and efficacy of text messaging to promote care among trauma patients screened for HIV at an urban emergency department in Tanzania

Background Due to the high prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in Tanzania, provider-initiated HIV testing for patients attending any health care setting is recommended. However, follow-up and linkage to care by those tested remain poor. We determined the feasibility and efficacy of text messaging to promote follow-up among otherwise healthy trauma patients who underwent provider-initiated HIV testing and counseling at an emergency department (ED) in Tanzania. Material and methods This randomized controlled trial (RCT) was conducted at Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH) ED between September 2019 and February 2020. Adult trauma patients consenting to HIV testing and follow-up text messaging were randomized to standard care (pre-test and post-test counseling) or standard care plus a series of three short message service (SMS) text message reminders for follow-up in an HIV clinic, if positive, or for retesting, if negative. Investigators blinded to the study assignment called participants 2 months after the ED visit if HIV-positive or 4 months if HIV-negative. We compared the proportion of people in the intervention and control groups completing recommended follow-up. Secondary outcomes were the proportion of patients agreeing to testing, proportion of patients agreeing to receiving text messages, and the proportion of HIV-positive and HIV-negative patients in each study arm who followed up. Results Of the 290 patients approached, 255 (87.9%) opted-in for testing and agreed to receive a text message. The median age of the study population was 29 [IQR 24–40] years. There were 127 patients randomized to the intervention group and 128 to the control group. The automated SMS system verified that 381 text messages in total were successfully sent. We traced 242 (94.9%) participants: 124 (51.2%) in the intervention group and 18 (488%) in the control group. A total of 100 (39.2%) subjects reported completing a follow-up visit, of which 77 (60.6%) were from the intervention group and 23 (17.9%) were from the control group (RR = 3.4, 95% CI 2.3–5.0). This resulted in a number needed to treat (NNT) of 2.3. Of the 246 HIV-negative participants, 37% underwent repeat screening: 59% of those in the intervention group and 16% in the control group (RR = 3.7, P = < 0.0001, NNT 2.3). Among the nine positive patients, all five in the intervention group and only three in the controls had follow-up visits. Conclusion Automated text message is a feasible and effective way to increase follow-up in HIV-tested individuals in a limited income country.

Emergency medicine in Brazil: historical perspective, current status, and future challenges

Background Emergency medicine (EM) in Brazil has achieved critical steps toward its development in the last decades including its official recognition as a specialty in 2016. In this article, we worked in collaboration with the Brazilian Association of Emergency Medicine (ABRAMEDE) to describe three main aspects of EM in Brazil: (1) brief historical perspective; (2) current status; and (3) future challenges. Main text In Brazil, the first EM residency program was created in 1996. Only 20 years later, the specialty was officially recognized by national regulatory bodies. Prior to recognition, there were only 2 residency programs. Since then, 52 new programs were initiated. Brazil has now 54 residency programs in 16 of the 27 federative units. As of December 2020, 192 physicians have been board certified as emergency physicians in Brazil. The shortage of formal EM-trained physicians is still significant and at this point it is not feasible to have all Brazilian emergency care units and EDs staffed only with formally trained emergency physicians. Three future challenges were identified including the recognition of EM specialists in the house of Medicine, the need of creating a reliable training curriculum despite highly heterogeneous emergency care practice across the country, and the importance of fostering the development of academic EM as a way to build a strong research agenda and therefore increase the knowledge about the epidemiology and organization of emergency care. Conclusion Although EM in Brazil has accomplished key steps toward its development, there are several obstacles before it becomes a solid medical specialty. Its continuous development will depend on special attention to key challenges involving recognition, reliability, and research.