Core Em Podcast

This week we dive into the rare but potentially fatal, and difficult to diagnose, air embolism. https://media.blubrry.com/coreem/content.blubrry.com/coreem/Episode_132_0_Final_Cut.m4a Download 2 Comments Tags: Air Embolism, Central Lines, Hyperbaric Oxygen Show Notes Take Home Points Air embolism is a rare but potentially fatal complication of central line placement and some surgical procedures and of course of as the result of barotrauma. Recognizing the signs and symptoms of air embolism can be tricky because it will look like any other ischemic process.  Consider air embolism if you have a patient that rapidly decompensates after placement of a central line, the most likely culprit for those of us in the ED. Treatment should focus on supportive cares.  Give supplemen

This week we explore the presentation, diagnosis and management of SBP. https://media.blubrry.com/coreem/content.blubrry.com/coreem/Episode_131_0_Final_Cut.m4a Download Leave a Comment Tags: Gastroenterology, Infectious Diseases, SBP Show Notes Take Home Points SBP is a difficult diagnosis to make because presentations are variable. Consider a diagnostic paracentesis in all patients presenting to the ED with ascites from cirrhosis An ascites PMN count > 250 cells/mm3 is diagnostic of SBP but treatment should be considered in any patient with ascites and abdominal pain or fever Treatment of SBP is with a 3rd generation cephalosporin with the addition of albumin infusion in any patient meeting AASLD criteria (Cr > 1.0 mg/dL, BUN > 30 mg/dL or Total bilirubin > 4 mg/dL) R

Another set of high-yield pearls coming out of our morning report conferences. https://media.blubrry.com/coreem/content.blubrry.com/coreem/Podcast_Episode_130_0_Final_Cut.m4a Download Leave a Comment Tags: Babesiosis, Carbon Monoxide, Doxycycline, Myasthenia Gravis, Tick-Borne Illnesses Show Notes Take Home Points Non-specific viral syndromes are usually just that, a viral syndrome but, be cautious as a number of more serious ailments can present similarly. This includes tick borne illnesses, acute HIV and carbon monoxide Doxycycline is safe in kids. The dental staining seen with tetracycline is specific to that drug, not the class. If doxy is the best drug for the disease, use it. Lots of meds can lead to a myasthenia gravis exacerbation. Carefully review meds before p

We welcome Meghan Spyres back to the podcast to discuss toxic alcohol ingestion diagnosis and management. https://media.blubrry.com/coreem/content.blubrry.com/coreem/Podcast_Episode_129_0_Final_Cut.m4a Download Leave a Comment Tags: Ethylene Glycol, Fomepizole, Methanol, Toxic Alcohols, Toxicology Show Notes Take Home Points Suspect a toxic alcohol in any patient with a large osmol gap or a large anion gap metabolic acidosis and consider treating these patients empirically. Fomepizole is the critical antidote for toxic alcohol ingestions but, patients are likely going to require dialysis as well. Call your local poison control center if you suspect a toxic alcohol ingestion to help guide management. Read More LITFL: Toxic Alcohol Ingestion ER Cast: Mind the Gap: Anion

This week, we sit down with Billy Goldberg - senior faculty at NYU/Bellevue, to discuss some nuances of hip dislocation management. https://media.blubrry.com/coreem/content.blubrry.com/coreem/Episode_128_0_Final_Cut.m4a Download Leave a Comment Tags: Orthopedics, Trauma Show Notes Read More Core EM: Hip Dislocation OrthoBullets: Hip Dislocation EMin5: Hip Dislocation Read More

This week we talk about the subacute headache and the dangerous, can't miss diagnoses of cerebral venous thrombosis and IIH https://media.blubrry.com/coreem/content.blubrry.com/coreem/Podcast_Episode_127_0_Final_Cut.m4a Download Leave a Comment Tags: Cerebral Venous Sinus Thrombosis, Headache, Neurology Show Notes Take Home Points Keep IIH and CVST on the differential for patient’s coming in with a subacute headache, particularly if they have visual or neuro symptoms. Consider an ocular ultrasound! It’s quick, shockingly easy to do, and can help point you toward a diagnosis you may have otherwise overlooked.  I have made it my practice now to include a quick look in the physical exam of my patients with a concerning sounding headache or a headache with neurologic sympto

This week we discuss the uncommon but must make diagnosis of flexor tenosynovitis https://media.blubrry.com/coreem/content.blubrry.com/coreem/Podcast_Episode_126_0_Final_Cut.m4a Download Leave a Comment Tags: Hand, Kanavel Signs, Orthopedics, Soft Tissue Infections Show Notes Take Home Points Think about flexor tenosynovitis in a patient with atraumatic finger pain.  They may have any combination of these signs: Tenderness along the course of the flexor tendon Symmetrical swelling of the finger – often called the sausage digit Pain on passive extension of the finger and Patient holds the finger in a flex position at rest for increased comfort Give antibiotics to cover staph, strep and possibly gram negatives. Get your surgeon to see the patient, while we can get th

This week we discuss some critical pearls and teaching points from our morning report conference. https://media.blubrry.com/coreem/content.blubrry.com/coreem/Podcast_Episode_125_0_Final_Cut.m4a Download One Comment Tags: Fluoroquinolones, Pneumonia, Spleen Show Notes FOAMCast: Episode 17 – The Spleen! Read More

This week we discuss a quick case leading into the management of MALA. https://media.blubrry.com/coreem/content.blubrry.com/coreem/Podcast_Episode_124_0_Final_Cut.m4a Download 2 Comments Tags: Metformin, Toxicology Show Notes Take Home Points In patients with shortness of breath and clear lungs, consider metabolic acidosis with respiratory alkalis as a potential cause Suspect MALA in any patient on metformin who presents with abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting and/or AMS Patients with MALA will have a low pH, a high-anion gap metabolic acidosis and high lactate levels Call your tox consultant to assist with management which will focus on fluid resuscitation with isotonic bicarbonate and dialysis Read More Bosse GM. Antidiabetics and Hypoglycemics. In: Hoffman RS, Howl

This week we dive into a recent journal article questioning whether we should tap all ascites. https://media.blubrry.com/coreem/content.blubrry.com/coreem/Episode_123_0_Final_Cut.m4a Download Leave a Comment Tags: Albumin, Cirrhosis, Paracentesis, SBP, Spontaneous Bacterial Peritonitis Show Notes Take Home Points SBP is a difficult diagnosis to make clinically. While patients may have the triad of fever, abdominal pain and increasing ascites, they are far more likely to only have 1 or 2 of these symptoms In patients admitted to the hospital with ascites, consider performing a diagnostic paracentesis on all patients as limited literature shows an association with decreased mortality and, the procedure is simple and low risk Once you get the fluid, focus on the cell count

This week we discuss the tibio-femoral knee dislocation focusing on identification of the dangerous complications. https://media.blubrry.com/coreem/content.blubrry.com/coreem/Podcast_Episode_122_0_Final_Cut.m4a Download Leave a Comment Tags: Knee Dislocation, Orthopedics, Popliteal Artery Show Notes Take Home Points Up to 50% of true knee dislocations will spontaneously reduce prior to arrival. Be suspicious of a dislocation in any patient who describes the joint moving out of place or if they have significant swelling, joint effusion or ecchymosis despite normal X-rays In all patients with suspected dislocation, perform a neurovascular exam immediately as popliteal artery injury is common. If they’ve got an absent DP or PT pulse, reduce immediately and get a CT angiogr

This week we dive into the diagnosis and management of pancreatitis in the ED https://media.blubrry.com/coreem/content.blubrry.com/coreem/Episode_121_0_Final_Cut.m4a Download Leave a Comment Tags: Gastroenterology, GI, Pancreatitis Show Notes Ranson’s Criteria for Pancreatitis-Associated Mortality (Rosen’s) Take Home Points Pancreatitis is diagnosed by a combination of clinical features (epigastric pain with radiation to back, nausea/vomiting etc) and diagnostic tests (lipsae 3x normal, CT scan) A RUQ US should be performed looking for gallstones as this finding significantly alters management The focus of management is on supportive care. IV fluids, while central to therapy, should be given judiciously and titrated to end organ perfusion Patients will mild pancreatitis

This week we discuss common bites, stings and envenomations. https://media.blubrry.com/coreem/content.blubrry.com/coreem/Episode_120_0_Final_Cut.m4a Download Leave a Comment Tags: Bee Sting, Black Widow, Brown Recluse Spider, Hymenoptera Show Notes Take Home Points The most common bites and stings you will see are by bees and ants.  These can present as a local reaction, toxic reaction, anaphylaxis or delayed reaction.  For all of these, treat with local wound care and epinephrine for any systemic symptoms. The brown recluse spider is found in the Midwest and presents as local pain and swelling but carries the risk of a necrotic ulcer The black widow spider is found all around the US and presents with either localized or generalized muscle cramping, localized sweating a

This week we review 4 articles discussed in our conference in the last month. https://media.blubrry.com/coreem/content.blubrry.com/coreem/Episode_119_0_Final_Cut.m4a Download Leave a Comment Tags: ACS, AMI, Cardiac Arrest, Cardiology, Oxygen, Pediatrics, POCUS, Syncope Show Notes Take Home Points Tachycardia in peds patients at discharge was associated with more revisits but not with more critical interventions. If your workup is reassuring, isolated tachycardia in and of itself shouldn’t change your disposition. Supplemental O2 is not necessary in the management of AMI patients with an O2 sat > 90% and, may be harmful Until further study and prospective validation has been performed, we’re not going to recommend embracing the Canadian decision instrument on predicting

Part II of II on gallbladder disorders finishing up with acute cholangitis. https://media.blubrry.com/coreem/content.blubrry.com/coreem/Podcast_Episode_118_0_Final_Cut.m4a Download Leave a Comment Tags: Gallbladder, Gastroenterology, General Surgery, GI Show Notes Take Home Points Cholangitis is an acute bacterial infection of the bile ducts resulting from common bile duct obstruction and is potentially life-threatening (mortality 5-10%, acute bacterial infection of the bile ducts Diagnosis is based on clinical findings and while imaging can be supportive, it is frequently non-diagnostic. Look for RUQ tenderness with peritoneal signs and fever A normal ultrasound does not rule out acute cholangitis Treatment focuses on supportive care, broad spectrum antibiotics and con

Part I of II on gallbladder pathology starting with cholecystitis. https://media.blubrry.com/coreem/content.blubrry.com/coreem/Episode_117_0_Final_Cut.m4a Download Leave a Comment Tags: Gallbladder, Gastroenterology, General Surgery, GI Show Notes Take Home Points Acute cholecystitis is an inflammation of the gallbladder and is a clinical diagnosis. Imaging can be helpful but US and CT can both have false negatives. Lab tests are insensitive and non-specific and, as such, they can neither rule in or rule out the diagnosis. Treatment focuses on fluid resuscitation when indicated, supportive care, antibiotics and surgical consultation for cholecystectomy Although uncommon, be aware that patients can develop gangrene, necrosis and perforation as well as frank sepsis and re

This podcast discusses the presentation and management of button battery ingestions in kids. https://media.blubrry.com/coreem/content.blubrry.com/coreem/Episode_116_0_Final_Cut.m4a Download One Comment Tags: Button Battery, GI, Pediatrics Show Notes NBIH Button Battery Ingestion Algorithm

This week we sit down with toxicologist Meghan Spyres to talk about Wernicke's Encephalopathy. https://media.blubrry.com/coreem/content.blubrry.com/coreem/Podcast_Episode_115_0_Final_Cut.m4a Download Leave a Comment Tags: Alcohol Abuse, Thiamine, Toxicology, Wernicke's Encephalopathy Show Notes Take Home Points Consider the diagnosis in all patients with nutritional deficiencies, not just alcoholics. Look for ophthalmoplegia, ataxia and confusion in patients that have risk factors for thiamine deficiency. Don’t think that it can’t be Wernicke’s because the triad isn’t complete; any two of the components (dietary deficiency, oculomotor abnormalities, cerebellar dysfunction or altered mental status) makes the diagnosis. Treat Wernicke’s with an initial dose of 500 mg of t

This week we discuss the initial approach to assessment of the alcohol intoxicated patient. https://media.blubrry.com/coreem/content.blubrry.com/coreem/Episode_114_0_Final_Cut.m4a Download One Comment Tags: Alcohol Intoxication, Chronic Alcoholism, Wernicke's Encephalopathy Show Notes Take Home Points Chronic drinkers and even just acutely intoxicated patients are at risk of many medical emergencies including life threatening trauma, infections, metabolic derangements and tox exposures.  Don’t dismiss them as “just drunk” Undress these patients and perform a thorough head to toe examination, focusing on looking for e/o trauma and infection.  Get as much history as you can and be sure to ask about their drinking habits and etoh w/d hx to risk stratify them in your brain

This podcast takes a deep dive into the presentation, diagnosis and management of preeclampsia and eclampsia. https://media.blubrry.com/coreem/content.blubrry.com/coreem/Podcast_Episode_113_0_Final_Cut.m4a Download Leave a Comment Tags: Eclampsia, Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy, Obstetrics, Preeclampsia Show Notes Take Home Points Suspect preeclampsia in any pregnant women presenting with epigastric/RUQ pain, severe or persistent headache, visual disturbances, nausea or vomiting, shortness of breath, increased edema or weight gain Evaluate for preeclampsia by looking at the blood pressure, urine for protein and obtaining a panel to evaluate for HELLP syndrome Severe preeclampsia and eclampsia are treated with bolus and infusion of MgSO4 Emergency delivery is the “