{"title":"Ainhum presenting to the accident and emergency department.","authors":"M Hunt, E E Glucksman","doi":"10.1136/emj.10.4.324","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1136/emj.10.4.324","url":null,"abstract":"a painful 'sore' on the medial aspect of his left little toe over the preceding month but had pain in the toe intermittently for some years. At the time of presentation the toe was attached only by a piece of thick skin on the lateral side of the toe, good volume peripheral pulses were present in the foot and sensation was normal (Fig. 1). He had no significant past medical history. Radiological examination of the foot revealed autolysis of the middle phalanx and head of the proximal phalanx of the little toe with preservation of the distal phalanx (Fig. 2). Appearances were characteristic of ainhum. The toe was amputated using local anaesthetic and the patient was given a course of antibiotics. The toe was redressed on two occasions and healed without complications.","PeriodicalId":77009,"journal":{"name":"Archives of emergency medicine","volume":"10 4","pages":"324-7"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1993-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1136/emj.10.4.324","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"19102939","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Chronic persistent asthma presenting to an accident and emergency department--compliance with B.T.S. guidelines.","authors":"J R Thompson, M A Lambert","doi":"10.1136/emj.10.4.347","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1136/emj.10.4.347","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Forty-six patients, known to suffer from asthma, attending an inner-city accident and emergency (A&E) department, were screened for the presence of chronic symptoms and their current treatment documented. The patients were asked if they knew their optimum peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) or if they possessed a peak flow meter. The treatment being used by each of the 26 patients with evidence of chronic persistent asthma was compared to that as advised by the British Thoracic Society (B.T.S.) and it was found that only three patients were receiving adequate treatment. Most often the treatment regimes were suboptimal due to the absence of an inhaled anti-inflammatory agent. Patient awareness of their own PEFR or possession of a peak flow meter was uniformly low in both the well-controlled patients and those with chronic persistent asthma.</p>","PeriodicalId":77009,"journal":{"name":"Archives of emergency medicine","volume":"10 4","pages":"347-53"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1993-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1136/emj.10.4.347","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"19102945","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Emergency eye care in the accident and emergency department.","authors":"B C Patel","doi":"10.1136/emj.10.4.387-b","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1136/emj.10.4.387-b","url":null,"abstract":"Sir I completed an Advanced Trauma and Life Support (ATLS) court in March this year. The next day I was senior house officer (SHO) on call covering general surgery for the weekend when a call was put out for the trauma team to report to the resuscitation room in the accident and emergency (A&E) department. A helicopter had crashed and a survivor was in the resuscitation room. Following immediate intubation examination revealed that he had a superficial wound to the left upper chest and a flail segment of that same side with poor air entry. I inserted a large chest drain immediately, without radiological confirmation, and the aspiration of air and blood improved his oxygenation. Following rapid infusion of fluid and blood as per ATLS guidelines his blood pressure rose to 110/90ml of mercury and his heart rate was 120 beats min-1. He had a fracture of the left femur and radiographs of the cervical spine, chest and pelvis revealed a fracture of the pelvis and marked shadowing in the left lung field with multiple rib fractures. The case demonstrated clearly to me the value of the ATLS course I had just attended. In a crisis situation it gives a system of working whereby a patient can be managed quickly and in an orderly fashion. I would encourage everyone who deals with trauma to undertake this valuable course.","PeriodicalId":77009,"journal":{"name":"Archives of emergency medicine","volume":"10 4","pages":"387-8"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1993-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1136/emj.10.4.387-b","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"19102866","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Waiting times and patient satisfaction in the accident and emergency department.","authors":"A Maitra, C Chikhani","doi":"10.1136/emj.10.4.388","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1136/emj.10.4.388","url":null,"abstract":"alkali and we always double evert the upper lid and remove all particulate matter with a forceps. Secondly, we recommened that the pH of the conjunctiva should be tested before and after irrigation with these lenses. In our experience more than a litre of saline or Ringer's lactate is frequently required with alkali burns before the pH returns to normal and occasionally several litres are required. The use of these irrigating lenses in A&E departments should be encouraged and I congratulate Dr Fernandes for bringing these lenses to our attention.","PeriodicalId":77009,"journal":{"name":"Archives of emergency medicine","volume":"10 4","pages":"388-9"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1993-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1136/emj.10.4.388","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"19102867","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Predictors of work satisfaction among SHOs during accident and emergency medicine training.","authors":"J Heyworth, T W Whitley, E J Allison, D A Revicki","doi":"10.1136/emj.10.4.279","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1136/emj.10.4.279","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The purpose of this study was to assess the ability of work-related stress, and other work environment characteristics that might affect stress, to predict work satisfaction among senior house officers (SHOs) during accident and emergency (A&E) training. Questionnaires were returned by 365 SHOs, who indicated their year in training, the number of hours worked per week, the type of training hospital, the number of new A&E attendances per year, the ratios of patients and consultants to SHOs at their training hospitals and their likelihood of specializing in A&E. They also completed inventories measuring work-related stress, task and role clarity, work group functioning and work satisfaction. Scores on the satisfaction scale served as the dependent variable in a multiple regression equation. Using an alpha level of 0.05, a significant relationship was detected between satisfaction and the 10 independent variables (P = 0.0001). Direct relationships between task and role clarity (P = 0.0001) and work group functioning (P = 0.0002) were significant, as were inverse relationships between stress (P = 0.0001) and the number of new attendances (P = 0.0321). Management practices, such as orientation sessions, that define tasks and roles, enhance work group cohesiveness and mitigate against stress, should result in increased satisfaction among SHOs.</p>","PeriodicalId":77009,"journal":{"name":"Archives of emergency medicine","volume":"10 4","pages":"279-88"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1993-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1136/emj.10.4.279","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"19102259","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Pseudo-dislocation of the shoulder in a child.","authors":"S P Michael, A Banerjee","doi":"10.1136/emj.10.4.289","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1136/emj.10.4.289","url":null,"abstract":"A 6-year-old girl fell off a climbing frame and injured her left shoulder. She was seen the same day in the accident and emergency (A&E) department with diffuse left shoulder pain. On examination diffuse swelling of the shoulder was noted but no deformity was discernible. All movements of the shoulder were grossly restricted and painful. An initial X-ray (Fig. 1) showed a Salter-Harris Type II injury of the left proximal humeral epiphysis. The head of the humerus was noted to be markedly displaced inferiorly. An axillary view to ascertain the relation of the humeral head to the glenoid could not be obtained because of patient discomfort. As a result of the severely subluxed appearance of the shoulder the patient was admitted for observation and further evaluation. An ultra sound scan of the shoulder was obtained which did not show fluid in the joint. The position of the humeral head remained unchanged over the next 3 days despite rest in a triangular sling. A week after the injury a further X-ray (Fig. 2) showed that the subluxation of the head was resolving. The shoulder became more comfortable and a reasonable range of movement returned. The proximal humeral fracture, however, became progressively more displaced but went on to unite soundly. Normal shoulder function was regained by the eighth week after injury. At this stage X-rays showed relocation of the humeral","PeriodicalId":77009,"journal":{"name":"Archives of emergency medicine","volume":"10 4","pages":"289-92"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1993-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1136/emj.10.4.289","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"19102260","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The first aid management of epistaxis by accident and emergency department staff.","authors":"G W McGarry, C Moulton","doi":"10.1136/emj.10.4.298","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1136/emj.10.4.298","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Most nose bleeds can be controlled by compressing the ala nasi, thus applying direct pressure over Little's area. The ability to demonstrate the correct position for this manoeuvre was assessed in 115 members of the staff of the accident and emergency (A&E) department of a major teaching hospital. Overall, the correct response rate was only 33% and even trained medical and nursing staff achieved less than a 50% success rate. Increased awareness of this simple and effective technique is recommended.</p>","PeriodicalId":77009,"journal":{"name":"Archives of emergency medicine","volume":"10 4","pages":"298-300"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1993-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1136/emj.10.4.298","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"19102933","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Use of anti-D in an accident and emergency department.","authors":"A M Huggon, D P Watson","doi":"10.1136/emj.10.4.306","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1136/emj.10.4.306","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>A retrospective study was made of the use of anti-D in an accident and emergency (A&E) department in 1 month. Patients who are discharged home with a diagnosis of threatened miscarriage should have their blood group determined and anti-D should be given to those who are rhesus negative. We found that only 8/29 patients discharged from the department had their blood group determined and none of the rhesus negative patients was given anti-D. We have introduced a practical method of reminding medical staff to give anti-D to patients who require it.</p>","PeriodicalId":77009,"journal":{"name":"Archives of emergency medicine","volume":"10 4","pages":"306-9"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1993-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1136/emj.10.4.306","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"19102935","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}