Resuscitation

Does using a bougie improve first-pass success during tracheal intubation? This appraisal examines a systematic review and meta-analysis, considering the quality and variety of the included studies and how equipment, technique and clinical setting affect the interpretation.

A review of an observational study comparing mechanical and manual CPR during in-hospital cardiac arrest. The appraisal examines survival outcomes and why patient selection, confounding and the timing of mechanical CPR make the results difficult to interpret.

An updated overview of decompensated liver disease in the emergency department, covering assessment, investigation and the search for a precipitating cause. It discusses infection, bleeding, kidney injury, encephalopathy and escalation of care, with the WAVES mnemonic to organise the approach.

A selection of resuscitation papers discussed at the Big Sick Conference in Zermatt in 2024. These personal appraisals examine airway management, haemorrhage and cardiac arrest, considering the findings, their limitations and the questions still facing clinicians and researchers.

Does a low Glasgow Coma Scale score in acute poisoning always require intubation? This appraisal examines a randomised trial of a conservative airway strategy, focusing on patient selection, criteria for intervention and the importance of assessing the clinical trajectory.