Ants as sutures?
You’ve probably heard of it, or seen pictures of it on various internet feeds. But how many references have you seen in the medical literature? They’re sparse at best, which is part of the reason I haven’t written about them…
Jan Waldenström
Jan Gösta Waldenström (1906 – 1996) was a Swedish physician. First to describe Waldenström macroglobulinemia (1944)
Henri Hartmann
Henri Albert Hartmann (1860-1952) was a French surgeon.True General surgeon. Hartmann procedure, Hartmann pouch.
Wilderness wound pitfalls
Wounds happen out there. Even with maximum preventive measures, they're inevitable, so we should definitely know how to manage them appropriately.
Funtabulously Frivolous Friday Five 256
It's Friday. Boggle your brain with FFFF challenge and some old fashioned cardiology trivia with Medlife Crisis. Funtabulously Frivolous Friday Five 256
Boerhaave syndrome
Boerhaave syndrome: spontaneous oesophageal rupture resulting from sudden increased intra-oesophageal pressure. Most commonly associated with emesis with incomplete cricopharyngeal relaxation.
Hermann Boerhaave
Hermann Boerhaave (1668 – 1738) was a Dutch physician, chemist, botanist and Christian humanist. The father of bed-side teaching. Eponymously affiliated with Boerhaave syndrome following his 1724 description of the death of Baron Jan von Wassenaer, Grand Admiral of the Dutch Fleet.
A 7th injury mechanism for lightning?
Lightning. Nature's way of showing electric current, potential, and resistance. The average cloud to ground strike is 3 miles long, and carries 30,000 amps of current. The fact that people can be struck and live is amazing.
Above the clouds
Environmental Enigma: One of your colleagues tells you he is going to climb Mt Kilimanjaro next month. He has never been to altitude before and asks you how he can prevent altitude sickness while on his trek...
Puzzling out the PERC rule
A patient has chest pain and shortness of breath. Is there a way to rule out pulmonary embolism without further investigation? Can you use the PERC rule?
Puffed Post-Tracheostomy
An ICU patient has become increasingly 'puffed' post-tracheostomy. Can you figure out why? What are your going to do about it?
Alarmingly high pressures
A mechanically ventilated patient has high peak inspiratory pressures. You need to silence that incessant the alarm... What are you going to do?