Transport Rates and Prehospital Intervals for an EMS Telemedicine Intervention.

Introduction: Emergency medical services (EMS) facilitated telemedicine encounters have been proposed as a strategy to reduce transports to hospitals for patients who access the 9-1-1 system. It is unclear which patient impressions are most likely able to be treated in place. It is also unknown if the increased time spent facilitating the telemedicine encounter is offset by the time saved from reducing the need for transport.

A Shorter Door-In-Door-Out Time Is Associated with Improved Outcome in Large Vessel Occlusion Stroke.

Endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) significantly improves outcomes in large vessel occlusion stroke (LVOS). When a patient with a LVOS arrives at a hospital that does not perform EVT, emergent transfer to an endovascular stroke center (ESC) is required. Our objective was to determine the association between door-in-door-out time (DIDO) and 90-day outcomes in patients undergoing EVT.

Factors associated with door-in-door-out times in large vessel occlusion stroke patients undergoing endovascular therapy.

Introduction: In the management of large vessel occlusion stroke (LVOS), patients are frequently evaluated first at a non-endovascular stroke center and later transferred to an endovascular stroke center (ESC) for endovascular treatment (EVT). The door-in-door-out time (DIDO) is frequently used as a benchmark for transferring hospitals though there is no universally accepted nor evidenced-based DIDO time. The goal of this study was to identify factors affecting DIDO times in LVOS patients who ultimately underwent EVT.

Evolution of endovascular stroke centers and disparities in access to stroke care in four Northeastern states: 2015-2019.

Objectives: Disparities exist throughout our healthcare system, especially related to access to care. Advanced stroke care for strokes is only available at selected endovascular centers (ESCs) in the United States. Although the number of ESCs increase each year, this does not necessarily reflect increased access to care.

Are Pediatric Manual Resuscitators Only Fit for Pediatric Use? A Comparison of Ventilation Volumes in a Moving Ambulance.

The manual resuscitator device is the most common method of ventilating patients with respiratory failure, either with a facemask, or with an advanced airway such as an endotracheal tube (ETT). Barotrauma and gastric inflation from excessive ventilation volumes or pressure are concerning complications. Ventilating adult patients with pediatric manual resuscitator may provide more lung-protective tidal volumes based on stationary patient simulations.

Optimizing Prehospital Stroke Systems of Care-Reacting to Changing Paradigms (OPUS-REACH): a pragmatic registry of large vessel occlusion stroke patients to create evidence-based stroke systems of care and eliminate disparities in access to stroke care.

Background: Large vessel occlusion (LVO) strokes are best treated with rapid endovascular therapy (EVT). There are two routes that LVO stroke patients can take to EVT therapy when transported by EMS: primary transport (ambulance transports directly to an endovascular stroke center (ESC) or secondary transport (EMS transports to a non-ESC then transfers for EVT). There is no clear evidence which path to care results in better functional outcomes for LVO stroke patients.

Fungal Rhino-orbital Cerebritis in a Patient with Steroid-induced Ketoacidosis.

Fungal rhino-orbital cerebritis is a devastating opportunistic invasive disease. Survival requires urgent diagnosis. Thus, all patients at risk who present with rhinosinusitis-type symptoms and have co-morbid conditions that decrease their immunocompetence should trigger the clinician's consideration of this disease.

Association between EMS Question Bank Completion and Passing Rates on the EMS Certification Examination.

Introduction: A board review question bank was created to assist candidates in their preparation for the 2015 EMS certification examination. We aimed to describe the development of this question bank and evaluate its successes in preparing candidates to obtain EMS subspecialty board certification.

Methods: An online question bank was developed by 13 subject matter experts who participated as item writers, representing eight different EMS fellowship programs.

Intravenous vs. intraosseous access and return of spontaneous circulation during out of hospital cardiac arrest.

Introduction: Guidelines endorse intravenous (IV) and intraosseous (IO) medication administration for cardiac arrest treatment. Limited clinical evidence supports this recommendation. A multiagency, retrospective study was performed to determine the association between parenteral access type and return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) in out of hospital cardiac arrest.

Adherence to Follow-Up Recommendations by Triathlon Competitors Receiving Event Medical Care.

. We sought to investigate triathlete adherence to recommendations for follow-up for participants who received event medical care. .

Mandatory Rest Stops Improve Athlete Safety during Event Medical Coverage for Ultramarathons.

Introduction: Provisions of medical direction and clinical services for ultramarathons require specific attention to heat illness. Heat stress can affect athlete performance negatively, and heat accumulation without acclimatization is associated with the development of exertional heat stroke (EHS). In order to potentially mitigate the risk of this safety concern, the Jungle Marathon (Para, Brazil) instituted mandatory rest periods during the first two days of this 7-day, staged, Brazilian ultramarathon.

A prospective evaluation of the contribution of ambient temperatures and transport times on infrared thermometry readings of intravenous fluids utilized in EMS patients.

Background: During cold weather months in much of the country, the temperatures in which prehospital care is delivered creates the potential for inadvertently cool intravenous fluids to be administered to patients during their transport and care by emergency medical services (EMS). There is some potential for patient harm from unintentional infusion of cool intravenous fluids. Prehospital providers in these cold weather environments are likely using fluids that are well below room temperature when prehospital intravenous fluid (IVF) warming techniques are not being employed.

Endotracheal intubation with a video-assisted semi-rigid fiberoptic stylet by prehospital providers.

Background: Emergency medical technicians intubate patients in unfamiliar surroundings and with less than ideal positioning. This study was designed to evaluate advanced life support (ALS) emergency medical technicians' (EMTs) ability to successfully intubate a simulated airway using a video-assisted semi-rigid fiberoptic stylet, the Clarus Video System (CVS).

Methods: ALS EMTs were first shown a brief slideshow and three example videos and then given 20 min to practice intubating a mannequin using both the CVS and standard direct laryngoscopy (DL).

Backboard time for patients receiving spinal immobilization by emergency medical services.

Background: Use of backboards as part of routine trauma care has recently come into question because of the lack of data to support their effectiveness. Multiple authors have noted the potential harm associated with backboard use, including iatrogenic pain, skin ulceration, increased use of radiographic studies, aspiration and respiratory compromise. An observational study was performed at a level 1 academic trauma center to determine the total and interval backboard times for patients arriving via emergency medical services (EMS).

Evaluation of ambulance offload delay at a university hospital emergency department.

Background: Ambulance offload delay (AOD) has been recognized by the National Association of EMS Physicians (NAEMSP) as an important quality marker. AOD is the time between arrival of a patient by EMS and the time that the EMS crew has given report and moved the patient off of the EMS stretcher, allowing the EMS crew to begin the process of returning to service. The AOD represents a potential delay in patient care and a delay in the availability of an EMS crew and their ambulance for response to emergencies.

Performance of emergency physicians utilizing a video-assisted semi-rigid fiberoptic stylet for intubation of a difficult airway in a high-fidelity simulated patient: a pilot study.

Background: This study was designed to evaluate emergency physician success and satisfaction using a video-assisted semi-rigid fiberoptic stylet, the Clarus Video System (CVS), during a simulated difficult airway scenario.

Findings: Emergency physicians (EPs) of all levels were first shown a brief slide show and three example videos, and then given 20 min to practice intubating a mannequin using both the CVS and standard direct laryngoscopy (DL). The mannequin was then placed in a c-collar and set to simulate an apneic patient with an edematous tongue and trismus.

Ambulance diversion and emergency department offload delay: resource document for the National Association of EMS Physicians position statement.

The emergency medical services (EMS) system is a component of a larger health care safety net and a key component of an integrated emergency health care system. EMS systems, and their patients, are significantly impacted by emergency department (ED) crowding. While protocols designed to limit ambulance diversion may be effective at limiting time on divert status, without correcting overall hospital throughput these protocols may have a negative effect on ED crowding and the EMS system.

Meningeal carcinomatosis diagnosed during stroke evaluation in the emergency department.

A 70-year-old female presented to the emergency department with a 3-day history of intermittent dysphasia and right facial droop. Computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were obtained, and the patient was found to have meningeal carcinomatosis, also known as leptomeningeal metastases. Meningeal carcinomatosis is a rare metastatic complication of some solid tumors and hematopoietic neoplasms, and has a median survival rate of 2.

Massive acute colonic pseudo-obstruction successfully managed with conservative therapy in a patient with cerebral palsy.

Acute colonic pseudo-obstruction (ACPO), also known as Ogilvie syndrome, is a massive dilation of the colon in the absence of mechanical obstruction. Treatment measures may include anticholinergic agents such as neostigmine, colonoscopy, or fluoroscopic decompression, surgical decompression, and partial or complete colectomy. We reviewed the case of a 26-year-old male with cerebral palsy who had a history of chronic intermittent constipation who presented to the emergency department (ED) with signs of impaction despite recurrent fleet enemas and oral polyethylene glycol 3350.

Gas gangrene and osteomyelitis of the foot in a diabetic patient treated with tea tree oil.

Diabetic foot wounds represent a class of chronic non-healing wounds that can lead to the development of soft tissue infections and osteomyelitis. We reviewed the case of a 44-year-old female with a diabetic foot wound who developed gas gangrene while treating her wound with tea tree oil, a naturally derived antibiotic agent. This case report includes images that represent clinical examination and x-ray findings of a patient who required broad-spectrum antibiotics and emergent surgical consultation.

Electrocardiogram and X-ray findings associated with iatrogenic pulmonary venous gas embolism.

Iatrogenic venous gas embolism (VGE) has been described in cases of patients with hemodialysis catheters and other thoracic central lines. When VGE is present, it may lead to large gas bubbles in the right heart or pulmonary circulation. We reviewed a case of a 52-year-old male hemodialysis patient who inadvertently received an unknown amount of air through a faulty connection in his line during hemodialysis treatment.

Case report: Delayed subclavian vein injury secondary to clavicular malunion.

Background: Fractures of the clavicle are extremely common, representing 2.6-12% of all fractures and 35-44% of all shoulder girdle injuries; 69-82% of these fractures occur in the middle third of the clavicle. Vascular injuries relating to clavicle fracture are usually due to extreme force applied to the clavicle in an acute setting.