Decline in Pediatric Emergency Department Behavioral Team Activations After Institution of an Agitation Protocol.

Objective: Aggressive behavior among pediatric patients with psychiatric complaints in emergency departments is a growing problem. An agitation protocol was instituted in 1 pediatric emergency department to provide scaled recommendations for differing levels of aggression. The study objective was to determine if the frequency of activation of an emergency behavioral response team changed after protocol initiation.

Radiation Dose Practice Audit of 6,234 Fluoroscopically-Guided Spinal Injections.

Background: Fluoroscopic imaging guidance is frequently used in performing spinal interventional techniques. Reference level standards are a quality improvement tool to help reduce radiation dose and serve as benchmarks for physicians and their technologists to achieve reasonable radiation exposure while performing fluoroscopically-guided spinal procedures. There are limited data describing radiation dose for musculoskeletal injections - in particular, spinal injections without any published reference standards.

Evaluation of two appropriateness criteria for total knee replacement.

Objective: Insurance expansion under the Affordable Care Act will amplify a projected 6-fold increase in total knee replacement (TKR) utilization by 2030 but will not fully address TKR disparities. Promoting appropriate use of TKR would help reduce disparities and improve outcomes. There are currently no validated appropriateness criteria (AC) for TKR in the US.

Comparison of deformity with respect to the talus in patients with posterior tibial tendon dysfunction and controls using multiplanar weight-bearing imaging or conventional radiography.

Background: Posterior tibial tendon dysfunction varies in location and severity. Weight-bearing radiographs have been validated to assess posterior tibial tendon dysfunction, yet their two-dimensional nature and the inability of the patients to achieve full weight-bearing during acquisition are limitations. Multiplanar modified sectional weight-bearing imaging is a novel modality, yielding computed tomography-like images compared with radiographs, yet with true weight-bearing, shorter acquisition time, and lower radiation.