A 52 year old bricklayer is transferred from another hospital with an acute episode of dizziness, palpitations and tachycardia. 2 days prior, he had bilateral total knee replacements for osteoarthritis.
Pulmonary Puzzler
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?
Bronchospastic BP Badness
A young man has been intubated for severe asthma. Now his blood pressure is heading for the floor. What are you going to do about it? Think you can save a life?
Man versus Machine
A patient develops hypoxia soon after intubation. Where lies the problem? Is it man or machine?
Is resistance futile?
An elderly man with a nasty looking chest x-ray is treated with penicillin. Should the antibiotic be changed in light of his sputum MCS?
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