Ideal Cricoid Pressure Is Biomechanically Impossible During Laryngoscopy.

Objective: This study was a prospective, randomized controlled trial of rapid sequence intubation (RSI) with cricoid pressure (CP) within the emergency department (ED). The primary aim of the study was to examine the link between ideal CP and the incidence of aspiration.

Method: Patients > 18 years of age undergoing RSI in the ED of two hospitals in New South Wales, Australia, were randomly assigned to receive measured CP using weighing scales to target the ideal CP range (3.

Effectiveness of cricoid pressure in preventing gastric aspiration during rapid sequence intubation in the emergency department: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial.

Background: Cricoid pressure is considered to be the gold standard means of preventing aspiration of gastric content during Rapid Sequence Intubation (RSI). Its effectiveness has only been demonstrated in cadaveric studies and case reports. No randomised controlled trials comparing the incidence of gastric aspiration following emergent RSI, with or without cricoid pressure, have been performed.

Could we care for Amillia in rural Australia?

Extremely premature and very low birth weight infants have multiple, costly and complex health and developmental issues. After the neonatal period, the best chance for these children to avoid extreme disability and dependence, and thereby reach their potential, is with timely and intensive early intervention by appropriate allied health services, such as speech, occupational and physiotherapy. However, currently in rural Australia, such children are further disadvantaged by their relative lack of access to appropriate types and levels of services, compared with their urban counterparts.

Evidence-based implementation of adult asthma guidelines in the emergency department: a controlled trial.

Objective: To determine if an evidence-based implementation (EBI) strategy could lead to the successful implementation of guidelines for the management of adult asthma in a large rural ED.

Methods: This was a pre- and post-intervention trial, comparing data for seven clinical indicators from a study hospital and a control hospital. Retrospective pre-intervention audits were conducted at the study hospital for 3 months (1 April-30 June 2004) and the control hospital for 4 months (1 March-30 June 2004).

Duodenal perforation: an interesting case report.

We describe a young child presenting with vomiting and altered neurological status. An incidental finding of pneumoperitoneum on abdominal X-ray led to laparotomy and the discovery of a duodenal perforation. We describe the difficulties in making the diagnosis of duodenal perforation in children and some of the factors that led to the delay in diagnosis in this case.

Inpatient mortality as related to triage category in three New South Wales regional base hospitals.

Objective: To establish the incidence of death after admission via the ED for each of the five categories of the Australasian Triage Scale in three New South Wales base hospitals, and to compare this with published data from an adult tertiary referral hospital in Victoria. To examine the causes of death in each category.

Methods: Information was collected from databases established as part of quality assurance projects at three New South Wales rural base hospitals from 1 January 2000 to 31 December 2000.