Prospective evaluation of the learning curve for ultrasound-guided peripheral intravenous catheter placement.

Introduction: It is unclear how many ultrasound-guided peripheral intravenous catheters (USG PIVC) one must place to become proficient at the procedure. The objective of this study was to determine the learning curve associated with PIVC placement and determine how many attempts are required for non-physician learners to reach proficiency.

Methods: This is a prospective observational study.

A multicenter, randomized clinical trial of IV iron supplementation for anemia of traumatic critical illness*.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of IV iron supplementation of anemic, critically ill trauma patients.

Design: Multicenter, randomized, single-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

Setting: Four trauma ICUs.

Treatment of acute silicoproteinosis by whole-lung lavage.

Acute silicoproteinosis is a rare disease that occurs following a heavy inhalational exposure to silica dusts. Clinically, it resembles pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (PAP); silica exposure is thought to be a cause of secondary PAP. We describe a patient with biopsy-confirmed acute silicoproteinosis whose course was complicated by acute hypoxemic respiratory failure requiring mechanical ventilation.