Emergency Department
The top ten journal articles you should read if you work in the ED.
Emergency Care 2007
1. Clinical Practice Advisory: Emergency Department Procedural Sedation with Propofol. Annals of Emergency Medicine August 2007 50:2 182-185.
A timely practice advisory given Propofol’s increased use in the hospital setting.
2. Prospective Study of Hydroxocobalamin for Acute Cyanide Poisoning in Smoke Inhalation. Annals of Emergency Medicine June 2007 49:6 794-801.
This is one of a series of articles looking at administering hydroxocobalamin to smoke inhalation victims. The accompanying editorial attempts to put the use of hydroxocobalamin in perspective.
3. Medical Lessons from Terror Attacks in Israel. Journal of Emergency Medicine January 2007 32:1 87-92
This article provides us with a unique perspective on disaster medicine – lessons learned in the field.
4. 2007 American Stroke Association Acute Ischemic Stroke Guideline Review. Stroke 2007:38.5-1655-711
This guideline which also includes implementation strategies for Emergency Medical Services within stroke systems of care gives a good overview of the necessary systems development from pre-hospital to ER for excellent stroke care.
5. Two articles: One in defense of the use of lidocaine in rapid sequence intubation. The second in opposition to the use of lidocaine in rapid sequence intubation. Annals of Emergency Medicine January 2007 49:1 84-87
Point: Counterpoint in the use of lidocaine – a good perspective.
6. Laryngeal View during Laryngoscopy A Randomized Trial Comparing Cricoid Pressure, Backward-Upward Rightward Pressure and Bimanual Laryngoscopy. Annals of Emergency Medicine June 2006 47:6 548-555
A study utilizing multiple caregivers provides us with food for thought as we embark on a simple yet, at times, technically challenging procedure.
7. Capnography for Procedural Sedation and Analgesia in the Emergency Department. Annals of Emergency Medicine August 2007 50:2 172-181
As our monitors become capable of tracking CO2 and its waveforms, clinicians need to add it to our patient assessment armamentarium in appropriate settings.
8. Manual In-line Stabilization for Acute Airway Management of Suspected Cervical Spine Injury: Historical Review and Current Questions.
Annuals of Emergency Medicine September 2007 50:3 236-245
An excellent review and historical perspective of our approach to the injured c-spine and the airway.
9. SOS-KANIO Study Group. Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation by Bystanders with Chest Compressions Alone: An Observational Study. Lancet 2007 Mar 17 369:980-6
It appears that ventilations cause prolonged interruptions in chest compressions and these interruptions have significant negative consequences. These conclusions may produce future guideline changes.
10. Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials of Therapeutic Hypothermia as a Neuroprotectant in Post Cardiac Arrest Patients. American Journal of Emergency Medicine September 2006 8:329-37.
Obviously, more data regarding this intervention is being accumulated and, to date, is supportive. ICU and ER protocols have been established and the use of therapeutic hypothermia is filtering into the pre-hospital arena.