Changes in blood pressure and heart rate during sedation with ketamine in the pediatric ED.

Background: Ketamine is commonly used in the emergency department for short, painful procedures. We describe changes in blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR) during procedural sedation with ketamine, as these changes have not been well described in children.

Methods: We performed a secondary analysis of a prospective, observational study involving children aged 8 to 18 years who received procedural sedation with ketamine in a pediatric emergency department.

Pediatric Surfer's Myelopathy.

Background: We present the case of the youngest known patient diagnosed with surfer's myelopathy. Surfer's myelopathy is a rare nontraumatic myelopathy. The most likely etiology, presumably, is arterial insufficiency related to spine hyperextension.

Hot asphalt burns: a review of injuries and management options.

Hot asphalt burns to human tissue can increase the likelihood of infection and potential conversion of partial thickness to full-thickness injuries. Successful intervention for hot asphalt burns requires immediate and effective cooling of the asphalt on the tissue followed by subsequent gradual removal of the cooled asphalt. A review of the literature reveals that multiple substances have been used to remove asphalt, including topical antibiotics, petroleum jelly, a commercial product known as De-Solv-It (ORANGE-SOL, Chandler, AZ), sunflower oil, baby oil, liquid paraffin, butter, mayonnaise, and moist-exposed burn ointment (MEBO).

Ketamine and intraocular pressure in children.

Study Objective: We determine the increase in intraocular pressure during pediatric procedural sedation with ketamine, and the proportion of children whose increase might be clinically important (at least 5 mm Hg).

Methods: We prospectively enrolled children aged 8 to 18 years, chosen to receive ketamine sedation in a pediatric emergency department. We measured intraocular pressure before sedation, immediately after ketamine administration, 2 minutes post-drug administration, and every 5 minutes thereafter until recovery or 30 minutes after the final dose.