Multi-trauma (Kicked off a Horse)

March 28, 2017March 12, 2017 / kcaners / Leave a comment

This case is written by Dr. Kyla Caners. She is a staff emergency physician in Hamilton, Ontario and the Simulation Director of McMaster University’s FRCP-EM program. She is also one of the Editors-in-Chief here at EmSimCases.

Why it Matters

Management of trauma patients with multiple intercurrent injuries can be challenging. This case provides an opportunity for junior learners to stretch themselves beyond their comfort zones. In particular, this case highlights the following:

The need for a systematic approach to the initial assessment and ongoing re-assessment of any complex trauma patient
The importance of prioritizing tasks and adjusting priorities as patient status changes
The complexity of managing a hypotensive, head-injured patient

Clinical Vignette

A 32-year-old female presents as a trauma activation with EMS after being bucked off of her horse. Her mom witnessed the episode and called EMS because she seemed groggy. She has had a low BP with EMS on route. Her current BP is 80/40.

Case Summary

A 32-year-old female presents after being bucked off of her horse. She is brought in as a trauma team activation because of a low BP. Her primary survey will reveal a boggy hematoma over her right temporal area as well as an unstable pelvis. Her initial GCS will be 8. The team will proceed through airway management in a hypotensive, head-injured trauma patient while also binding her pelvis. The patient eventually shows signs of brain herniation, which the team will need to manage prior to consultant arrival.

Download the case here: Pelvic Fracture and SDH

ECG for the case found here:

Sinus tachycardia

(ECG source: https://i0.wp.com/lifeinthefastlane.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/sinus-tachycardia.jpg)

Pre-intubation CXR for the case found here:

normal female CXR radiopedia

(CXR source: https://radiopaedia.org/cases/normal-chest-radiograph-female-1)

PXR for the case found here:

$Pelvic fracture$

(PXR source: https://littlemedic.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/pelvis_0_1.jpg)

Post-intubation CXR for the case found here:

normal-intubation2

(CXR source: https://emcow.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/normal-intubation2.jpg)

Ultrasound showing free fluid in RUQ found here:

RUQ FF

Ultrasound showing normal lung sliding found here:

Ultrasound showing no pericardial effusion found here:

(All U/S images are courtesy of McMaster PoCUS Subspecialty Training Program)

Obstetrical Trauma

August 30, 2016August 30, 2016 / kcaners / Leave a comment

This case is written by Dr. Donika Orlich. She is a PGY5 Emergency Medicine resident at McMaster University who completed a fellowship in Simulation and Medical Education last year.

Why it Matters

The management of a late-term pregnant trauma patient poses unique challenges. In particular, this case highlights the following:

The need for manual uterine displacement
The importance of considering uterine rupture or abruption as part of the primary or secondary survey (and how this necessitates a pelvic exam)
The challenge associated with controlling the noise and chaos in the trauma bay when multiple consultants are present
How difficult it is to break bad news about two patients at once to the father

**Special note: please be aware that this case has the potentially to be distressing to learners. As such, if you are to run it, please have resources available to help learners should they be affected by the weight of this case.

Clinical Vignette

You are working in a tertiary care emergency department and receive an EMS Patch: “33F who appears quite pregnant coming to you from an MVC. Belted driver. Prolonged extrication at the scene (30mins). Altered LOC and hypotensive on scene. Current vitals: HR 150, BP 80/50, RR 40, O2 90% on NRB, CBG 6. 1L NS bolus going. ETA 5 minutes.”

Case Summary

A 33 year old G2P1 female at 32 weeks GA presents with blunt trauma following an MVC. She will be hypotensive due to both hypovolemic shock from a pelvic fracture and obstructive shock from a tension pneumothorax. Fetal monitoring will show the fetus in distress with tachycardia and late decelerations. Early airway intervention should be employed, with thoughtful selection of drugs for sedation and paralysis given the pregnancy. After intubation, the patient will remain hypotensive. She will require massive transfusion and coordination of care between orthopedics, general surgery, and obstetrics. The patient’s husband will also arrive after intubation and the team must give him the bad news.

Download the case here: Obstetrical trauma case

ECG for the case found here:

Sinus tachycardia

(ECG source: http://i0.wp.com/lifeinthefastlane.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/sinus-tachycardia.jpg)

CXR for the case found here:

CXR Tension ptx

(CXR source: http://cdem.phpwebhosting.com/ssm/pulm/pneumothorax/images/cxr_ptx_3.png)

Pelvic XR for the case found here:

Pelvic X-ray post binder

(PXR source: https://drhem.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/5-4-6.jpg)

Normal pericardial U/S for the case found here:

Left lung U/S with no lung sliding found here:

RUQ U/S showing FF found here:

(All U/S images are courtesy of McMaster PoCUS Subspecialty Training Program)

Ruptured Ectopic

February 2, 2016January 29, 2016 / kcaners / Leave a comment

This case is written by Dr. Kyla Caners. She is a PGY5 Emergency Medicine resident at McMaster University and is also one of the Editors-in-Chief here at EMSimCases.

Why it Matters

Ectopic pregnancy is a can’t miss diagnosis in Emergency Medicine. This case highlights just how sick patients with ruptured ectopic pregnancies can be. Some important learning points include:

The importance to having an approach to the undifferentiated patient with syncope and hypotension
The need to order a βHCG in women of child-bearing age who present with syncope
The rapid stabilization of a patient with intraperitoneal hemorrhage using massive transfusion.

Clinical Vignette

26 year old female presents after a syncopal episode at home. She immigrated from Cambodia two weeks ago to work as a live-in nanny, but has been feeling unwell for the last 3 days. The patient speaks limited English, but the family she is staying with said she has been vomiting the past few days and was unable to get out of bed this morning. When she tried, she because quite dizzy and then passed out.

Case Summary

26 year-old female, recently immigrated from Cambodia, presents after a syncopal episode at home. At the case outset, she complains of feeling “a little dizzy” and has a HR of 100 and a BP of 90/60. Once the team initiates care, the patient will say she has to vomit and then become poorly responsive and more hypotensive. The patient does not know that she is pregnant, so the team will have to consider the diagnosis early and use bedside U/S to point them in the right direction. The team will then need to initiate a massive transfusion and arrange for surgery. If the ectopic pregnancy is not recognized, the patient will become persistently more hypotensive until she has a PEA arrest.

Download the case here: Ruptured Ectopic

RUQ U/S for the case found here:

RUQ FF

Abdominal U/S with no IUP for the case found here:

(All U/S images are courtesy of McMaster PoCUS Subspecialty Training Program.)

ECG #1 for the case found here:

Sinus tachycardia

(ECG source: http://cdn.lifeinthefastlane.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/sinus-tachycardia.jpg)

ECG #2 for the case found here:

normal-sinus-rhythm

(ECG source: http://cdn.lifeinthefastlane.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/normal-sinus-rhythm.jpg)

Post-intubation CXR for the case found here:

Post Intubation

(CXR source: https://emcow.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/normal-intubation2.jpg)

Two Patient Trauma

January 5, 2016January 5, 2016 / kcaners / 1 Comment

This case was written by Dr. Martin Kuuskne from McGill University. Dr. Kuuskne is a PGY5 Emergency Medicine resident and one of the editors-in-chief at EMSimCases.

Why it Matters

Emergency Medicine often requires care providers to be in multiple places at once. It is not uncommon to have two patients simultaneously require urgent or semi-urgent intervention. This case helps learners to develop this important skill by highlighting:

The challenges of triaging patients as immediately urgent or less urgent
The need to assign tasks to team members
The importance of adhering to the basics, even in a taxing situation

Clinical Vignette

Before entering the room: You are working the day shift in a tertiary care emergency department with full surgical capabilities. EMS is en-route to the hospital with two patients, a 37-year-old male and a 65 year old female, who were both drivers of a t-bone MVC of unknown speed. The ambulances will arrive in 2 minutes.

Upon entering the room: Each patient will be accompanied with a paramedic who will give this information and will be available to stay if asked.

Patient A: “37 year old male, belted driver, he got t-boned on the driver’s side. There was significant intrusion of his side door. We’re not sure if there was a loss of consciousness, we put him on a non-rebreather and his SAT was around 92%, tachy at 105 with an OK BP around 110 systolic during the ride.”

Patient B: “65 year old female, belted driver who t-boned the other car. The front of her car was totaled. Airbags were deployed and there was a brief loss of consciousness. We put on the collar ASAP. Vitals were stable en route but she was a bit confused during the ride. No vomiting.”

Case Summary

A young male and a middle-aged female are brought to the ED after a T-bone MVC at an unknown speed. Both patients were drivers. The emergency team is expected to triage the patients accordingly and to split the team so that both patients are treated.

Patient A: The team is expected to recognize respiratory compromise secondary to pneumothorax. Needle decompression and tube thoracostomy should be administered. The patient will in remain in respiratory compromise post-decompression and the team should consider intubation. If the pneumothorax is not recognized or treated, the patient will arrest. On secondary survey, the patient will complain of pelvic pain in addition to a positive eFAST evaluation. The team should activate the massive transfusion protocol (MTP) and activate the trauma/surgery team.

Patient B: The team is expected to recognize hypoglycemia in the context of a minor head injury. Immediate glucose replacement is required.

Download the case here: Two for one MVC

CXR for Patient A found here:

(CXR source: http://learningradiology.com/archives2009/COW%20353-Flail%20Chest/caseoftheweek353page.htm)

Pelvic xray for Patient A found here:

(Xray source: http://radiopaedia.org/articles/open-book-fracture)

Left lung U/S for Patient A found here:

Right lung U/S for Patient A found here:

RUQ FAST image for Patient A found here:

Pericardial U/S for Patient A found here:

(All U/S images are courtesy of McMaster PoCUS Subspecialty Training Program.)

CXR for Patient B found here:

(CXR source: http://radiopaedia.org/articles/normal-position-of-diaphragms-on-chest-radiography)

Massive Upper GI Bleed

May 26, 2015May 26, 2015 / kcaners / Leave a comment

This case is written by Dr. Cheryl ffrench. Dr. ffrench is an emergency physician in Winnipeg and has also served as the Emergency Department’s Medical Director of Simulation since 2011. She has developed four separate simulation curricula for EM including a joint trauma simulation program with General Surgery.

Why it Matters

Massive upper GI bleeds are very challenging to manage. This case takes learners through all of the reasons that upper GI bleeds can be so difficult. In particular, it highlights the following key aspects of management:

Recognizing the need for early blood transfusion in a hypotensive, bleeding patient and anticipating the need for massive transfusion.
Anticipating and appropriately planning the need for controlling the airway while understanding that a bloody airway is a difficult airway.
Inserting a Sengstaken-Blakemore tube, which is a rarely performed procedure in the ED.

Clinical Vignette

You are working in a tertiary care centre emergency department with full consultant services. A patient is brought into the ED with active hematemesis. He complains of general chest discomfort and nausea. He insists that he is “fine” and just “needs a beer”. He is triaged to the resuscitation area.

Case Summary

A 58-year-old male known for alcoholism presents to the emergency department with an active, massive upper GI bleed due to esophageal varices. The patient deteriorates into hypovolemic shock requiring medical management, massive transfusion, intubation for airway protection, and insertion of a Blakemore tube.