Catalyst is coming… 23rd July 2026
Catalyst: Critical Care Ideas in Action fuses potent ideas with practical action. It is built for critical care clinicians of all stripes who want meaningful change to become reality.
Category Medical Specialty
CT Case 108
A 60 year old male is brought in by ambulance following a head on collision at moderate speed in a car. CT c-spine is performed
Above the Ears
Securing the endotracheal tube (ETT) for neuroprotection with cloth ties above the ears. The airway does not end once the tube passes the cords
History of epidural needles and catheters
History of epidural needles and catheters from caudal access and loss of resistance to Tuohy, Curbelo and modern catheter design.
CT Case 107
A 60 year old male is brought in by ambulance following a head on collision at moderate speed in a car. CT c-spine is performed
History of Spinal Needles
History of spinal needles from early lumbar puncture and Quincke cutting bevels to Greene, Whitacre and Sprotte atraumatic designs reducing PDPH.
CT Case 106
A 70 year old woman presents with 12 hours of lower abdominal pain and one episode of haematochaezia at home. CT mesenteric angiogram is performed
W. Wayne Babcock
William Wayne Babcock Jr (1872-1963), American surgeon linked to spinal anaesthesia, Babcock forceps, vein stripping, cranioplasty and surgical innovation.
CT Case 105
A 69 year old male presents with two days of atraumatic progressively worsening neck and scalp pain. Interpret the CT c-spine
Alpha-Gal Syndrome
Alpha-gal syndrome explained: tick bites, delayed red meat allergy, cetuximab anaphylaxis, and the clues that linked them.
History of fluorescein
Fluorescein: history, chemistry and modern eye uses—corneal staining, Seidel leak test, Jones drainage test and retinal angiography.
Goodbye “Massive” and “Submassive”
The first-ever AHA/ACC clinical practice guideline on acute pulmonary embolism drops a new A-to-E severity classification. Here’s what emergency physicians need to know...