Does tamsulosin help patients with renal colic pass their stone? Simon Carley reviews a 2018 randomised trial in adults with CT-confirmed stones under 9 mm, examining patient-reported passage, follow-up imaging and subgroup uncertainty. He considers why the findings challenged routine medical expulsive therapy in this ED population.
What can emergency clinicians learn from an audit of perioperative anaphylaxis? Chris Gray reviews NAP6, focusing on recognition, cardiovascular collapse and reactions associated with antibiotics, muscle relaxants and chlorhexidine. This 2018 discussion considers how findings from anaesthetic practice relate to the emergency department.
Intranasal ketamine or fentanyl for children with painful fractures? This 2018 appraisal compares pain relief and reported side effects in a small randomised trial. It explains why similar pain scores do not prove equivalence, and why the selected patient group limits how widely the results can be applied.
Natalie May introduces the e-book collecting her reflections from Sydney HEMS, with 104 lessons drawn from the original blog series. This 2017 announcement explains the collection’s additional photographs, foreword and chapter on entering prehospital and retrieval medicine, and links back to the seven source posts.
Is paracetamol alone enough for pain after minor musculoskeletal injury? This 2017 review examines a randomised non-inferiority trial comparing paracetamol, diclofenac and their combination. It explores pain outcomes, trial design and exclusions, including why the findings cannot simply be extended to fractures or all painful injuries.
Whose assessment counts when a child is in pain? This 2017 appraisal of paediatric pain scales examines agreement between children, nurses and doctors, questioning whether disagreement justifies dismissing children’s reports and what a single pain measurement can really tell us.
Practical perspectives on trauma care and team leadership.
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