Emergency department implementation of abbreviated magnetic resonance imaging for pediatric traumatic brain injury.

Pediatric head injury is a common presenting complaint in the emergency department (ED), often requiring neuroimaging or ED observation for diagnosis. However, the traditional diagnostic neuroimaging modality, head computed tomography (CT), is associated with radiation exposure while prolonged ED observation impacts patient flow and resource utilization. Recent scientific literature supports abbreviated, or focused and shorter, brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as a feasible and accurate diagnostic alternative to CT for traumatic brain injury.

Tension pneumoperitoneum after intussusception pneumoreduction.

Intussusception is the most common cause of intestinal obstruction in infancy. Presentation, diagnostic workup, and treatment are well understood and noncontroversial. Complications of bowel perforation are also well documented.

Pulse oximetry in discharge decision-making: a survey of emergency physicians.

Objectives: Our primary objective was to describe the pulse oximetry discharge thresholds used by general and pediatric emergency physicians for well-appearing children with bronchiolitis and pneumonia, and to assess the related practice variability.

Methods: This mail-in survey was conducted in August and September 2001 and included the 281 active members of the Pediatric Emergency Medicine Section of the American College of Emergency Physicians. The survey consisted of 2 case scenarios of previously healthy, well-appearing children: a 2-year-old with pneumonia and a 10-month-old with bronchiolitis.