Nausea and vomiting in pregnancy is common and at best an unpleasant experience for the patient, and at worst can be life threatening. It normal starts @ 4-7/40, peaks @ 9/40, and finishes @ 20/40.
We need to conduct a thorough history and examination looking for causes other than a high βHCG. these include:
Retrobulbar Haematoma secondary to blunt eye injury is a a rare but potentially sight threatening injury.
However, this may only be recognised on CT if there is significant facial injury and altered conscious level.
Call Ophthalmology immediately to attend. If there is going to be any significant delay, it may be necessary for ED to preform a Lateral Canthotomy, to allow the eye to move forward, reduce the orbital pressure & preserve the patients sight.
Tracheostomy Emergency Care – Dr Brendan McGarth
www.Tracheostomy.org.uk
Needs to distinguish Tracheostomy from laryngectomy as a laryngectomy has no connection to the upper airway however a tracheostomy may have a connection so gives you 2 options for an airway.
Trachostomy problems commonly seen in the ED:-
Tube obstructions
Tube displacement
Stoma problems
Skin problems
Tracheostomy Emergency Pathway
Laryngectomy Emergency Algorithm
Online learning modules available at the link
www.e-lfh.org.uk/programmes/tracheostomy-safety/
The Impact of Dental Presentations to the ED — Chetan Trivedi
Facial imaging his a high dose of radiation to senative tissues in often young people therefore careful examination is required prior tor Xrays.
Predictors of radiological abnormality in facial trauma-
Tenderness over maxillary
Step deformity in maxillary
Sensory loss over site of injury
Change in bite
Subconjunctival haemhorrhage
Broken teeth
Periorbital haematoma
Abnormal eye signs
Predictors of radiological abnormality in mandibular trauma-
Restricted or painful mouth opening
Tenderness over mandible
Sensory loss over site of injury
Change in bite/painful bite
Broken teeth
Step deformity
Try to assess carefully prior or to imaging
Acute Ophthalmology— Felipe Dhawahir-Scala
https://www.beecs.co.uk
Viral conjunctivitis all have preauricular or submandibular lymphadenopathy, highly contagious.
Do not give chloramphenicol to contact lens wearers use something with a broader spectrum.
Urgent conditions (reasons to get an ophthalmologist out of bed) —
Acute angle closure glaucoma -red painful eye, semi dilated pupil, – start iv acetazolamide immediately
Orbital cellulitis – eye doesn’t move, colour vision loss, fever, chemosis, proptosis -start Ciprofloxacin and clarithromycin orally, image and call ophthalmology.
Vertigo – Peter Johns
Concerning features- new or sustained headache or neck pain it’s a stroke or vertebral artery dissection until we prove it isn’t.
A central cause …Unable to walk or stand unaided, Weakness in limbs, the Deadly d’s… dysarthria, diplopia, dysphagia, dysarthria, dysphoria.
Short episodes of Vertigo (spinning/dizziness) on getting up/rolling over in bed, no spontaneous or gaze provoked nystagmus.
(End gaze nystagmus so normal variant, look to 30 degrees only.)
Need dix-hallpike testing likely BPPV – posterior canal BPPV.
Treat with Epley manoeuvre.
Horizontal Canal BPPV – Dix-hallpike manoeuvre is negative and they are less clear which side they turn to to get dizzy.
Spontaneous or gaze provoked nystagmus for days, nausea and vomiting and gait disturbance likely to be Vestibular neuronitis.
Test using HINTS plus Exam– nystagmus, test of skew, head impulse test, hearing loss. All components have a central or peripheral result for each component. If all 4 are peripheral results then it is a acute Vestibular neuroitis
Vestibular migraine – 30% never get headache, can last hours or days.
More common in women, perimenopausal, often get photophobia, phonophobia, nausea, vomiting and other typical migraine symptoms.
You tube – peter Johns (links here)
On rare occasions you may receive a pre-alert, where you want blood available for the patient when they arrive (for example in major haemorrhage). This process has been agreed with transfusion so this can be done safely and responsibly. Read more
Invented by a Welshman ‘Hugh Owen Thomas’, the introduction of this simple device in World War 1 went on to reduce the mortality of #femurs from 80% to 16%.
Measure the Inside Leg (unbroken leg) and add 30cm/12inch (to give room for the traction)
Adjust length to the above measurement. ensuring the Hoop is at an angle with the lateral (outside leg) higher than the medial (inside leg).
1. take the strings and pass one over and one under the sides of the frame.
2. secure tightly with a Reef Knot
3. pass strings down (one over and one under) around the base, bringing them back over the Reef Knot and back around the base. This makes a pulley system.
4. Tension the pulley system and tie-off using a bow
5. Pass the tongue depressors (2 tongue depressors tapped together), twist the tongue depressors to achieve the required tension, and lock off against the side.
Very few of us come to work intent on doing harm. However, despite that we all keep making mistakes. Most of them pass unnoticed and do little harm, although we are all aware the times they don’t, and it is not only the patient that suffers. Read more
When giving blood products you need to use the transfusion care pathway.
It can be found on intranet > Policies & Documents Library >Other Systems [green button] > Clinical records repository > Search [title And transfusion] – its only 9 clicks away (and some writing)
