An unusual case of pediatric abdominal pain.

Chronic and recurrent abdominal pains are common complaints in children and adolescents, but the evaluation in the emergency department (ED) can be challenging. We present a rare yet serious case of a 17-year-old white female who presented to the ED with a 2-day history of diffuse abdominal pain, nausea, and intractable vomiting. Abdominal examination and imaging, including computed tomography (CT), were negative during an episode 6 weeks previously.

Video laryngoscopy in the prehospital setting.

In the prehospital setting, the emergency care provider must anticipate that some patients will manifest with difficult airways. The use of video laryngoscopy to secure an airway in the prehospital setting has not been explored widely, but has the potential to be a useful tool. This article briefly reviews some of the major video laryngoscopes on the market and their usefulness in the prehospital setting.

Ultrasound validation of maneuvers to increase internal jugular vein cross-sectional area and decrease compressibility.

Objectives: The aim of this study is to determine which maneuvers result in greatest cross-sectional area (CSA) of the internal jugular vein (IJV) and reduce collapsibility as measured by ultrasound during simulated venipuncture.

Methods: A total of 52 healthy adult volunteers were prospectively studied in an academic emergency department. Cross-sectional area of the IJV was recorded at baseline, with Valsalva, hepatic pressure, and a combination of hepatic pressure plus Valsalva.