a difficult airway…

The Case. The ‘Batphone’ alerted us of a 68 year old female who is postictal following two seizures in rapid succession. She has a history of ‘a brain tumour’. P 120. BP 176 systolic !! GCS 8 Afebrile. Sats 98%…

another ECG case…

The Case. I was superficially involved in this case of a 32 year old suicidal patient who ingested two full packets of Solian (amisulpride) (~ 24 grams) approximately 90 minutes prior to arrival to ED. On initial assessment he was…

slowly, slowly…

Case: 76 year old female, presents with lightheadedness and lethargy. She is complaining of mid-scapular pain & is syncopal at triage. She has cold hands & clammy skin. Systolic BP 70 mmHg. Crackles to mid-zones of her chest. Distended JVP.…

generally unwell (part 2)…

For those joining the story for the first time, you can catch up here…. My interpretation of the ECG; Sinus rhythm with 1st degree HB, an ‘odd’ axis. Wide complex QRS (~140-160ms) with symmetrical tall T-waves. ? Hyperkalaemia. Needs urgent…

more than man-flu…

The case: 19 year old male who presented as ‘lethargic & generally unwell’ is wheeled into resus. He is so weak it takes 2 staff and his father to lift him from the wheelchair to our stretcher. He looks horrible.…

just a tablespoon…

This is the story of a 59 year old man who presented to our ED with a complaint of haemoptysis. He is otherwise well, takes no regular medications and besides his ’50 per day’ smoking history (over 40-odd years) he…

The audacity of FOAMed

Mike Cadogan raising a glass to the audacity of FOAMed. Image created by underneathEM.com author Domhnall Brannigan (after Shepard Fairey and commissioned by Chris Nickson). Mike has just written an explanatory piece on the birth of FOAMed on LITFL.com here.

broad, fast & regular…

There are some things in medicine that I feel require a standardized approach for rapid diagnosis & management, especially in the face of an unstable patient & you have a little sweat on your brow. The following are two somewhat…