St. Paul's Hospital Emergency Department The Continuous Pursuit of Excellence in Patient Care and Academic Emergency Medicine

Danielle Wilson MHA explores the reasons behind patients' choice of which Emergency Department to attend. Click Here for the paper.

Neither WBC or Fever are Sensitive nor Specific indicators of Appendicitis.  We should be wary of relying on these findings when assessing for Appendicitis.

Acad Emerg Med 2004; 11:1021–1027. (Link)

Describing an RCT of the effectiveness of a 3-in-1 Femoral Nerve Block performed in the ED in the setting of Femoral Neck Fractures.  The authors conclude that it is effective and a readily acquirable skill.

Ann Emerg Med. 2003;41:227-233.  (Link)

The Authors of this study conclude:

"Treatment with rFVIIa within four hours after the onset of intracerebral hemorrhage limits the growth of the hematoma, reduces mortality, and improves functional outcomes at 90 days, despite a small increase in the frequency of thromboembolic adverse events. "

N Engl J Med 2005;352:777-85. (Link)

This paper demonstrated a significant difference between Emergency Physicians' perception of CHF severity and severity determined by Brain Naturietic Peptide (BNP) levels.  They also demonstrated a significant difference in outcomes (mortality and readmission) between mild and severe CHF as determined by BNP levels.

J Am Coll Cardiol 2004;44: 1328 –33.  (Link)