Improvement in physician pain perception with using pain scales.

Background And Aims: Acute pain is the most common reason for visits to the emergency department (ED). The underuse of analgesics occurs in a large proportion of ED patients. The physician's accurate assessment of patients' pain is a key element to improved pain management.

Utility of 360-degree assessment of residents in a Turkish academic emergency medicine residency program.

Objectives: This study was designed to test a 360-degree assessment tool for four of the emergency medicine resident competencies as outlined by the Council of Residency Directors in Emergency Medicine on patient care, communication skills, professionalism and system based practice in an academic Emergency Department.

Material And Methods: Using the competency framework of the American Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education, a 57 item-containing assessment tool was created. Based on the different exposure aspects of the involved evaluator groups, the items were integrated into seven different evaluation forms.

Traditional Kehr's sign: Left shoulder pain related to splenic abscess.

Kehr’s sign was originally described by the German surgeon Hans Kehr (1862-1916). It is a classical example of referred pain: irritation of the diaphragm is signaled by the phrenic nerve as pain in the area above the clavicle. We present a case of a 21-year-old woman admitted to the emergency department with the chief complaint of left shoulder pain related to splenic abscess.

Value of the swimming position and arm traction in visualizing the cervicothoracic junction over the standard lateral cervical X-ray.

Background: The cervicothoracic junction (CTJ) is often inadequately visualized on lateral cervical X-rays due to anatomic variations and technical factors.

Aims: The aim of this study was to investigate whether the swimmer's view and arm traction could enhance the image field on the standard lateral cervical (SLC) X-ray.

Methods: The study was conducted in a university hospital in October 2007 with 40 volunteers.

Determination of difficult intubation in the ED.

Objective: The aim of this study is to determine the predictors of difficult intubation in the emergency setting.

Methods: This prospective observational clinical study was conducted in the emergency department (ED) of a University Hospital with an annually census of 50 000 visits from May 2005 to May 2007. All patients requiring intubation in the ED were included into the study.

Intravenous paracetamol or morphine for the treatment of renal colic: a randomized, placebo-controlled trial.

Study Objective: This randomized, placebo-controlled trial evaluates the analgesic efficacy and safety of intravenous single-dose paracetamol and morphine for the treatment of renal colic.

Methods: We conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial comparing single intravenous doses of paracetamol (1 g), morphine (0.1 mg/kg), and placebo (normal saline solution) for patients presenting to the emergency department (ED) with suspected renal colic.

Portal vein thrombosis related to Cassia angustifolia.

Introduction: Cassia angustifolia (Senna), used as a laxative, is a plant from the Fabaceae family. It includes hydroxyanthracene glycosides, also known as Senna Sennoside. These glycosides stimulate the peristalsis of the colon and alter colonic absorption and secretion resulting in fluid accumulation and expulsion.

Artificial neural network in predicting craniocervical junction injury: an alternative approach to trauma patients.

Objective: The aim of this study is to determine the efficiency of artificial intelligence in detecting craniocervical junction injuries by using an artificial neural network (ANN) that may be applicable in future studies of different traumatic injuries.

Materials And Methods: Major head trauma patients with Glasgow Coma Scale View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Anxiety and depressive disorders in patients presenting with chest pain to the emergency department: a comparison between cardiac and non-cardiac origin.

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of anxiety and depressive disorders in patients presenting with chest pain to the Emergency Department (ED) and determine if there is a relationship between these and cardiac vs. non-cardiac chest pain.

Methods: This prospective cross-sectional study was performed in an urban tertiary care hospital between March and October 2005.

[A second-degree burn related to air bag deployment: a case report].

Although air bags have been shown to reduce mortality and morbidity in motor vehicle crashes, they are associated with specific injuries. Burns due to air bag deployment account for more than 5% of all air bag injuries and typically involve upper extremities or head and neck. Aside from friction burns, thermal and chemical burns are also seen resulting from the use of certain chemicals for the deployment mechanism.

Appropriateness of emergency department visits in a Turkish university hospital.

Aim: To determine the patterns and appropriateness of patients' use of a university hospital emergency department.

Methods: During a 14-day period in November 1998, we collected demographic and socio-economic data, reasons for preferring emergency department care, and patient visit data from consecutive patients visiting our tertiary-care university hospital emergency department. The principle investigator reviewed the study information forms and classified visits according to the classification of Afilalo into three categories: category I--emergent emergency department visits; category II--needing evaluation within 6 hours, either in emergency department or elsewhere; or category III--needing evaluation after more than 6 hours.

The efficacy of urinalysis, plain films, and spiral CT in ED patients with suspected renal colic.

We determined the diagnostic value of urinalysis and plain films in patients with suspected renal colic presenting to an emergency department (ED). Over a 1-year period, 138 patients presented to the ED during the daytime with suspected renal colic, but for technical reasons the diagnostic modalities used in the study could be completed for only 99 patients, and 34 patients were lost to follow-up. A urinalysis; kidney, ureter, and bladder film; and spiral computed tomography (CT) were performed on each patient.