Could selected patients with uncomplicated appendicitis receive antibiotics without a hospital admission? This 2016 appraisal examines a small pilot trial, questioning its mixed treatment comparison, restrictive eligibility and what feasibility findings can establish before a larger, more definitive study.
JC: Does every appendicitis need admission? St.Emlyn’s Read More
Who should decide which medical research clinicians can read and trust? Reflecting on a 2016 SMACC debate, Simon Carley questions journal paywalls and traditional publishing incentives, while exploring open access, post-publication review and the unresolved problem of sustainable alternatives.
The future of medical publishing. St.Emlyn’s Read More
What can UK registry data tell us about traumatic cardiac arrest? This 2016 appraisal examines survival and injury patterns in TARN, while explaining why observational associations cannot establish which interventions work and why different causes may require different approaches.
JC: UK traumatic cardiac arrest stats. St.Emlyn’s Read More
Chest drain insertion involves more than getting a tube into the chest. This 2016 teaching post discusses patient selection, analgesia, ultrasound, drain size and secure fixation, combining published evidence with the author’s practical experience and acknowledging important uncertainties.
Chest drains & aspiration: Do it better with St.Emlyn’s Read More
Why did emergency medicine examination and training outcomes vary by ethnicity, region and training pathway? This 2016 discussion of GMC data examines differential attainment, challenges easy explanations and asks educators to reflect on bias, supervision and their responsibilities to trainees.
How can simulation develop the relationships and attitudes that shape clinical teamwork? Drawing on a EuSEM 2016 talk, this post explores training in the workplace, involving the whole team in debriefs and using learning conversations to understand behaviour under pressure.
Soft skills in simulation: EuSEM 2016. St.Emlyn’s Read More
How should we interpret a high prevalence of pulmonary embolism among patients admitted with syncope? This 2016 appraisal examines the selected hospital population and distinguishes finding a clot from proving it caused the collapse or that treating it improves outcomes.
Prevalence of PE in patients with syncope Read More
Does cardiac activity on ultrasound predict survival after cardiac arrest, and does scanning itself improve outcomes? This 2016 appraisal of REASON examines those different questions, the study’s potential biases and why absent activity should not be treated as a definitive prognosis.
JC: Is this the REASON to use USS in cardiac arrest? St.Emlyn’s Read More
