Archive

Rebel Category: REBEL Crit

How Accurate are Blood Gas Electrolyte Measurements?

Bottom Line Up Top: Blood gas electrolytes closely correlate with serum measurements and can be used under most circumstances to guide clinical care. Clinical Scenario: A 62 year old woman with a history of HTN, ESRD on MWF dialysis presents ...

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Endocrine, Metabolic, Fluid, and Electrolytes

IVC Distensibility Index vs Collapsibility Index: Using the Correct Index

Background  In 1979, Hiroshi Natori was the first to appreciate the sonographic changes that occur in the inferior vena cava (IVC)’s diameter with ventilation in spontaneously breathing patients, mechanically ventilated patients, and those with carcinogenic and tuberculoid cardiac tamponade.1 They ...

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CardiovascularResuscitationThoracic and Respiratory

Threading the Needle: Bougie-First Intubation

Background: In 2018, the BEAM Trial, a small single-center randomized clinical trial, conducted in the emergency department at Hennepin County Medical Center, demonstrated that bougie use significantly increased the first-attempt intubation success rate compared to the endotracheal tube with stylet ...

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Procedures and SkillsResuscitation

Is Pip-Tazo Harming Sepsis Patients?

Background: Patients with sepsis are routinely treated with empiric broad-spectrum antibiotics while awaiting source identification, as recommended by the surviving sepsis campaign.2 Vancomycin, in combination with either piperacillin-tazobactam or cefepime, is commonly used for empiric treatment in these cases. Literature ...

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Infectious Disease

The Ducanto Catheter—It Sucks!

Background: Emergency intubations present a unique set of challenges, particularly when dealing with heavily contaminated airways. Anesthesiologist, Dr. James DuCanto, developed the DuCanto catheter to enhance airway management in these high-stakes situations. The commonly used 14 Fr Yankauer catheter, with ...

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Procedures and SkillsResuscitation

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