Publications by authors named "Christanne Coffey"
The Women in Wilderness Medicine Research Committee of the Wilderness Medical Society conducted a narrative review to address considerations for pregnant individuals in wilderness environments. There is limited evidence behind many opinion-based recommendations on the safety of various environmental exposures in pregnancy. The authors reviewed the literature for the best available evidence, including observational studies, case series, limited controlled trials, and extrapolation from physiological data, as well as evaluating expert consensus statements.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: Current literature on stingray envenomations focuses on the incidence, presentation, and complications of these injuries, with some studies providing such data for specific geographic locations. This is the first study to evaluate the influence of environmental factors and human characteristics on stingray envenomation patterns in San Diego, California.
Methods: Incident reports of injuries documented by the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department/Lifeguard Division (SDFR-LG) during 2017 were analyzed.
Background: Mass casualty incident (MCI) triage simulation is an increasingly useful tool for teaching triage systems to medical students, trainees, and hospital staff. MCI simulation in the prehospital setting has not yet been studied in this population.
Objectives/aims: We aimed to assess the effectiveness of a prehospital MCI simulation in medical students, residents, and fellows.
Article Synopsis
- Aquatic envenomations are frequent injuries along the U.S. coast, posing health risks, primarily affecting young males (≤30 years) during summer months, with 8517 cases reported from 2011 to 2020.
- * The study utilized data from the National Poison Data System, excluding non-relevant reports, to analyze trends in these injury cases, revealing that fish and Cnidaria were the most common sources.
- * Despite the high number of envenomations, there were no reported deaths, and 37% of cases required treatment in healthcare facilities, demonstrating the importance of poison control centers in monitoring and managing these incidents.*
Background: Non-professional climbers are increasingly attempting long routes in a single day. Many suffer injury or rely on search and rescue teams when they become too fatigued to finish. Predicting fatigue is difficult, and existing studies have only studied climbers over durations less than an hour, while many outdoor multipitch climbs require more than an hour of climbing.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFirst-Trimester Pregnancy: Considerations for Wilderness and Remote Travel.
Wilderness Environ Med
June 2023
Women increasingly participate in outdoor activities in wilderness and remote environments. We performed a literature review to address diagnostic and therapeutic considerations during first-trimester pregnancy for remote multiday travel. Pretrip planning for pregnant patients traveling outside access to advanced medical care should include performing a transvaginal ultrasound to confirm pregnancy location and checking D rhesus status.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPneumomediastinum is a rare complication of substance use, likely due to a Valsalva maneuver after drug inhalation. There are no previously documented associations between pneumomediastinum and opioid use. A 30-year-old man with a history of recent heroin and fentanyl inhalation presented to the emergency department in respiratory distress requiring intubation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- Stingray injuries often require identifying and removing barbs to prevent infections, but the best imaging method for detection is unclear.
- A study compared the effectiveness of x-rays, ultrasounds, and MRIs in finding stingray barbs in human foot and ankle cadaver specimens.
- Results showed x-rays had the highest sensitivity (94%) for detecting barbs, while MRIs had the highest specificity (100%), indicating different strengths for each imaging technique.
Background: Stingray injuries result in thousands of emergency department visits annually.
Objectives: This study aimed to assess the complication rate and outcome of field treatment with hot water immersion.
Methods: This was an on-site, prospective, observational study.
Background: A significant increase in false positive ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) electrocardiogram interpretations was noted after replacement of all of the City of San Diego's 110 monitor-defibrillator units with a new brand. These concerns were brought to the manufacturer and a revised interpretive algorithm was implemented.
Objectives: This study evaluated the effects of a revised interpretation algorithm to identify STEMI when used by San Diego paramedics.