It's Not "Just the Flu"

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It's Not "Just the Flu"

This past month has seen the appearance and peaking of seasonal influenza in the Northern Hemisphere.  This year, a particularly early strain of flu has been causing widespread illness across all 50 of the United States.  The start (or height) of any flu season is a good time to refresh our understanding of the influenza virus, prevention strategies, testing methods, and treatment modalities.  This year, however, we also sit exactly 100 years removed from the most deadly global pandemic ever seen by humanity.  Try your hand at some flu-based trivia and take a listen to the podcast below (or on iTunes).

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Grand Rounds Recap 1.24.18

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Grand Rounds Recap 1.24.18

This week's Grand Rounds started off with our monthly Morbidity and Mortality conference with Dr. Titone.  This was followed by a lecture on pediatric bloody diarrhea with Dr. Shan Modi.  Dr. Claire O'Brien then gave her Clinical Soap Box lecture on cost and waste within the healthcare system.  Dr. Kreitzer then gave an evidence based lecture on current research in sepsis and refractory septic shock, followed by our consultant of the month lecture with Dr. Anthony Blanchard from podiatry discussing foot wounds and osteomyelitis.

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Grand Rounds Recap 1.17.18

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Grand Rounds Recap 1.17.18

This week's Grand Rounds started out with another installment of our leadership curriculum led by Dr. Stettler, where we discussed how to identify and manage finance in leadership.  This was then followed by Dr. Makinen's small group session on thyroid diagnostics in the ED.  Drs. Gauger and Loftus then went head-to-head on a case of syncope, found to have a massive PE.  Dr. Miller then gave a great summary of current thoughts and future approaches to sepsis, followed by Dr. Murphy discussing post-ENT procedure bleeds in the ED.  Dr. Curry then finished off the conference with his "Mastering Minor Care" segment on epistaxis.   

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Interpretation of Thyroid Studies in the Emergency Department

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Interpretation of Thyroid Studies in the Emergency Department

Thyroid studies, often lying in the depths of any medical student differential, are an important tool in the Emergency Physician's toolkit, and knowing what to order when is a key part of using them wisely. This week, Dr. Makinen gives us a breakdown of thyroid pathology and testing.

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Grand Rounds Recap 1.10.18

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Grand Rounds Recap 1.10.18

Grand rounds this week started off with a review of the EMTALA law with Dr. Hinckley, as well as some case discussion.  This was followed by a presentation from our clinical pharmacists, PharmD's Nicole Harger and Madeline Stephens, on anti-epileptic medications and their uses, as well as an update on our medication supplies in the ED.  Drs. Murphy-Crews and Scanlon then presented their evidenced based algorithm for the management of STEMI, followed by our combined peds EM lecture with Dr. Kevin Overmann on the evaluation of the pale child and pediatric anemia.  This was followed by Dr. Ludmer's R4 case follow up/best of residency cases.  The day finished up with Dr. Sim Mand presenting her clinical diagnostics lecture on the assessment and management of the non-pregnant patient with abnormal uterine bleeding. 

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Grand Rounds Recap 1.3.17

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Grand Rounds Recap 1.3.17

The first grand rounds of 2018 started out with an R4 Simulation that highlighted the clinical presentation, diagnosis, and management of salicylate toxicity.  This was followed by a guest lecture by Dr. Richard Sears, who discussed the benefits of wellness and mindfulness, and how we can apply them in the workplace.  Dr. Hall then went over the utility and application of various labs used to evaluate patients with sickle cell disease who present in vaso-occlusive crisis.  We then finished the conference with a case based discussion on septic bursitis led by Dr. Mike Klaszky. 

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Annals of B-Pod - Winter Issue Release!

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Annals of B-Pod - Winter Issue Release!

In the chilling Winter edition of Annals of B-Pod, we're getting visceral. Delve into the nuances of hematologic emergencies  with Dr. Shaw's phenomenal discussion of disseminated intravascular coagulopathy or Dr. Baez's fascinating case of thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura. Keep your hand on the pulse as Dr. Klaszky discusses ulnar artery pseudoaneurysm. Keep an eye out for these excellent articles and more as we delve into the gritty inner-workings of the human machine in the latest edition of #AoBP!

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Conjunctivitis

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Conjunctivitis

It's been a busy night in the SRU.  You've already sent two traumas to the OR, given tPA to an acute stroke, and sent a post-arrest patient up to the MICU.  As you walk back to your computer to finally take a sip of now cold coffee, you notice there's a new patient in A2.  The chief complaint, conjunctivitis.  You sigh as you try to recall the differential for the red eye.  You think to yourself, I wish they actually covered eyes in medical school.  Read on to learn how to care majorly about a “minor” complaint.  And no, all is not solved by some antibiotic drops.   

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Laboratory Evaluation of Sickle Cell Disease in the ED

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Laboratory Evaluation of Sickle Cell Disease in the ED

Given the morbidity of sickle cell disease, these patients frequently present to the emergency department, raising questions of: what laboratory testing is needed in these patients? And, how do we interpret commonly ordered labs in these patients? This article will discuss the basic principles of these commonly ordered studies in hopes of delineating when they are necessary and how they can help in the evaluation of the sickle cell patient presenting to the emergency department.

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Annals of B-Pod: Disseminated Intravascular Coagulapathy

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DIC is a much dreaded dysregulation of the body's natural coagulation infrastructure associated with very high morbidity and mortality. DIC is a diagnosis that emergency providers cannot miss, and in his case Dr. Shaw walks us through the timely identification and treatment of DIC in the emergency department while simultaneously shedding light on much of the controversy that surrounds DIC. Do blood products help correct the coagulopathy?  Find out inside!

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Annals of B-Pod: Ulnar Artery Pseudoaneurysm

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Annals of B-Pod: Ulnar Artery Pseudoaneurysm

Pseudoaneurysms are a potentially deadly complication of any traumatic injury to or manipulation of a patient's vascular structures, and are highly morbid when not identified and treated appropriately by medical personnel. In this fascinating case, Dr. Klaszky walks us through the presentation, diagnosis, and management of a traumatic pseudoaneurysm.

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Annals of B-Pod: Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura

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Annals of B-Pod: Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura

TTP, ITP, HUS, DIC - the category of hematologic emergencies is rife both with three-letter acronyms and potentially devastating complications for those patients afflicted with them. Told from the perspective of an internist, this article by medicine chief resident Dr. Baez details a case of thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) through the entirety of the patient's care, beginning with its presentation in the ED and ending with patient's ultimate recovery. In this article, Dr. Baez also details the newly minted, clinically-validated PLASMIC score, a scoring system that can be used in the ED to facilitate diagnosis of TTP. Check it out!

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Grand Rounds Recap 12.20.17

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Grand Rounds Recap 12.20.17

The final Grand Rounds of 2017 opened with Morbidity and Mortality led by Dr. Kari Gorder. Drs. Liebman, Banning, and Owens then shared exciting Global Health cases from their travels to Tanzania and Guatemala. Dr. Grace Lagasse gave her soapbox lecture on firearm violence and the Emergency Department. Finally, our dentistry colleagues Drs. McMahon and Dagher refreshed our techniques and skills in the management of dental trauma.

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