2 Sep 2020

September 2, 2020

Written by REBEL Cast, REBEL Core
Take Home Points
  • Focus on resuscitating well by focusing on the basics
  • Recognize Massive GIB (MGIB) with a thorough exam of the patient and vital signs (Shock index >0.7 is ABNORMAL and signals impending shock)
  • Obtain large bore PIV access and prioritize transfusion over crystalloids for MGIB
  • Get consultants on board early
  • Give adjunctive medications that impact mortality (ie A 3rd generation cephalosporin in patients with variceal bleeding or a history of cirrhosis)
Medical Categories: Abdominal and Gastroinstestinal
4 Likes
22 Jul 2020

July 22, 2020

Written by REBEL Cast, REBEL Core
Take Home Points
  • Spinal Epidural Abscess may present insidiously and patients often lack the classic triad of fever, back pain and neurologic symptoms
  • Empiric Antibiotics should cover Staphylococcus (including MRSA) and Gram negative Bacilli
  • All patients with clinical suspicion require rapid evaluation with MRI as the diagnostic study of choice
  • Although not all patients will go to the operating room, surgical consult (Neurosurgery or Orthopedics) should be obtained emergently
Medical Categories: Infectious Disease, Neurology, Orthopedics
1 Like
8 Jul 2020

July 8, 2020

Written by REBEL Cast, REBEL Core
Take Home Points
  • When approaching the patient with uspected seizure, focus on questions that matter in determining if the event was a seizure or not
  • Extensive lab work after a first time seizure is not necessary in patients who are back to baseline.  Focus on serum glucose, determining pregnancy/postpartum status, and in patients who continue to seize, check that sodium!
  • Get a CT of the Head on
    • First-time seizure patients
    • High-risk groups (alcoholics, immunocompromised, infants < 6 months of age)
    • Those with an abnormal neuro exam
    • Those presenting with focal seizures
  • Psychogenic non-epileptic seizures are difficulty to distinguish from true epilepsy and there is significant overlap between the two conditions.  Take all seizure activity seriously.
  • Give clear discharge instructions to your first-time seizure patients and close the loop on close neurology follow-up.
Medical Categories: Neurology
2 Likes
25 Jun 2020

June 25, 2020

Written by REBEL Core

Definition: Suppurative infection enclosed within the epidural space

Epidemiology

  • Incidence: 2-3 cases per 10,000 hospitalized patients (Sendi 2008).
    • Rate is increasing given the rise in number of spinal procedures and anesthesia techniques
  • Mortality is low at 5%, however, if untreated paralysis may occur
  • Can occur at any age but most patients are between 50 and 70 years old.
Medical Categories: Infectious Disease, Neurology
4 Likes
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