Timely Diagnosis of Pneumoperitoneum by Point-of-care Ultrasound in the Emergency Department: A Case Series

Introduction: Pneumoperitoneum is a life-threatening diagnosis that requires timely diagnosis and action. We present a case series of patients with perforated hollow viscus who were accurately diagnosed by emergency physicians using point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) while in the emergency department (ED).Case Series: Three elderly patients presented to the ED with the complaints of syncope, abdominal pain with constipation, and unresponsiveness. The emergency physicians used POCUS to diagnose and then expedite the necessary treatment.Conclusion: Point-of-care ultrasound can be used by emergency physicians to diagnose pneumoperitoneum in the ED

Real-time sample entropy predicts life-saving interventions after the Boston Marathon bombing

Identifying patients in need of a life-saving intervention (LSI) during a mass casualty event is a priority. We hypothesized that real-time, instantaneous sample entropy (SampEn) could predict the need for LSI in the Boston Marathon bombing victims. Severely injured Boston Marathon bombing victims (n = 10) had sample entropy (SampEn) recorded upon presentation using a continuous 200-beat rolling average in real time. Treating clinicians were blinded to real-time results. The correlation between SampEn, injury severity, number, and type of LSI was examined. Victims were males (60%) with a mean age of 39.1 years. Injuries involved lower extremities (50.0%), head and neck (24.2%), or upper extremities (9.7%). Sample entropy negatively correlated with Injury Severity Score (r = −0.70; P = .023), number of injuries (r = −0.70; P = .026), and the number and need for LSI (r = −0.82; P = .004). Sample entropy was reduced under a variety of conditions.SampEn (mean ± SD)PAmputation, n = 50.7 ± 0.3No amputation, n = 51.9 ± 0.8.027Transfusion, n = 50.7 ± 0.3No transfusion, n = 51.9 ± 0.8.027Intubation, n = 60.8 ± 0.3No intubation, n = 42.1 ± 0.7.027Vasopressors, n = 70.8 ± 0.3No vasopressors, n = 32.4 ± 0.3.004 Sample entropy strongly correlates with injury severity and predicts LSI after blast injuries sustained in the Boston Marathon bombings. Sample entropy may be a useful triage tool after blast injury

Advanced imaging use in intensive care units has decreased, resulting in lower charges without negative effects on patient outcomes

There has been both greater recognition and scrutiny of the increased use of advanced imaging. Our aim was to determine whether there has been a change over time in the use of computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), ultrasound (US) modalities in the intensive care units (ICUs). A retrospective review of 75657 admissions to 20 ICUs was conducted. Results were analyzed with multivariate linear, negative binomial, and Poisson regressions. Primary outcomes were rates of use of CT, MRI, and US per 1000 ICU admissions every 6 months. Secondary outcomes were changes in radiology use associated with impacts on mortality, hospital length of stay (LOS), ICU LOS, and hospital charges. The rate of imaging use decreased by 13.5% between 2007 and 2011 (incidence rate ratio [IRR], 0.982; P < .001). Most of this decrease was by CTs (21.0%; IRR, 0.973; P < .001). Use of MRI decreased by 6.0% (IRR, 0.991; P = .04), whereas US increased by 18.9% (IRR, 1.012; P < .001). The charges associated with imaging decreased by $74 per ICU admission, which would save an estimated$1.2 million in charges during 2011. Decreased imaging was not associated with changes in mortality, hospital, and ICU LOS. Advanced imaging use decreased for 5 years in the ICUs, resulting in decreased charges without negative effects on patient outcomes

Is CT Angiography of the Head Useful in the Management of Traumatic Brain Injury?

Computed tomography angiography (CTA) has been increasingly used in traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients to uncover vascular lesions that might have preceded the trauma and caused the bleed. This study aims to evaluate the usefulness of head CTA in the initial care of blunt TBI patients. We conducted a retrospective case-control analysis of adult TBI patients, admitted to our Level I trauma center from January 1, 2012 to December 31, 2012. The patients were grouped as those with and without a CTA of the head. The primary outcomes included a change in management after the findings of head CTA and secondary outcomes included rate of admission to the ICU, ICU length of stay, hospital length of stay, discharge disposition, and mortality. Six hundred adult patients had blunt TBI and underwent head CT as a part of their evaluation. Of these 600 patients, 132 (22%) underwent head CTA in addition to CT. Only one patient had altered management after the CTA results; the patient had a diagnostic angiogram that was negative. Ninety-eight patients did not have any additional findings on CTA. Of the remaining 33 patients with additional CTA findings, 12 had incidental vascular malformations, which showed no acute pathology and were not related to the injury. In the matched comparisons, patients with CTA had a longer hospital stay, higher rate of ICU admission, and longer ICU stay. There was no significant difference in mortality and discharge disposition between the 2 groups. Head CTA is commonly used after blunt TBI but does not alter management and should be abandoned in the absence of clear indications

Peer-to-peer physician feedback improves adherence to blood transfusion guidelines in the surgical intensive care unit

Translation of evidence to practice regarding adherence to published guidelines for transfusion of red blood cells (RBCs) in critically ill patients is sometimes suboptimal. We sought to use a multimodal intervention founded on peer-to-peer feedback and monthly audit to increase adherence to restrictive RBC transfusion guidelines. We conducted a prospective interventional study with a preintervention and postintervention comparison in our tertiary care center. For the 6-month preintervention period (January 1, 2013, to June 31, 2013) and the 6-month postintervention period (October 1, 2013, to March 31, 2014), all RBCs transfused in the surgical intensive care unit (SICU) were evaluated for pretransfusion hemoglobin (Hgb) trigger (TRIG). During the intervention, if stable low-risk patients were transfused outside of restrictive guidelines, the clinicians received e-mail notification and education from a surgeon colleague within 72 hours of transfusion. The mean TRIG, percentage of transfusions with TRIG greater than 8.0 g/dL, and rate of overtransfusion (posttransfusion Hgb > 10) were compared before and after intervention. For stable, low-risk patients, mean TRIG decreased from 7.6 g/dL to 7.1 g/dL (p < 0.001) and percentage of transfusions with TRIG greater than 8.0 g/dL decreased from 25% to 2% (p < 0.001) The overtransfusion rate decreased from 11%to 3% (p = 0.001). Total 6-month transfusions decreased from 284 U to 181 U, a 36% decrease. There were no significant differences in median SICU or hospital lengths of stay. Although SICU discharge Hgb and hospital discharge Hgb were significantly lower in the intervention period (8.4 vs. 8.6 [p = 0.037] and 8.6 vs. 9.0 [p = 0.003]), 30-day readmission and mortality rates were similar. A blood management program based on peer e-mail feedback was effective in improving adherence to guideline recommendations for transfusion of RBCs in stable, low-risk SICU patients. Therapeutic/care management study, level IV

The influence of anesthesia on heart rate complexity during elective and urgent surgery in 128 patients

As an emerging "new vital sign," heart rate complexity (by sample entropy [SampEn]) has been shown to be a useful trauma triage tool by predicting occult physiologic compromise and need for life-saving interventions. Sample entropy may be confounded by anesthesia possibly limiting its value intraoperatively. We investigated the effects of anesthesia on SampEn during elective and urgent surgical procedures. We hypothesized that SampEn is reduced by general anesthesia. With institutional review board-approved waiver of informed consent, 128 patients undergoing elective or urgent general surgery were prospectively enrolled. Real-time heart rate complexity was calculated using SampEn through electrocardiogram recordings of 200 consecutive beats in a continuous sliding-window fashion. We recorded SampEn starting 10 minutes before induction until 10 minutes after emergence from anesthesia. The time before induction of anesthesia was categorized as period 1, the time after induction and before emergence as period 2 (intraoperative), and the time after emergence as period 3. We analyzed SampEn changes as patients moved between the different periods and made 3 comparisons: from period 1 with period 2 (comparison A), from period 2 with period 3 (comparison B). We also compared period 1 with period 3 SampEn (comparison C). The mean SampEn value for all patients before induction of anesthesia was 1.55 ± 0.58. In each 1 of the 3, comparisons there was a decline in SampEn. Comparison A had a mean decrease of 0.53 ± 0.55 (P < .0001), comparison B had a decrease of 0.13 ± 0.52 (P < .0051), and the mean SampEn difference for comparison C was 0.66 ± 0.53 (P < .0001). Certain pharmacologics had significant effect on SampEn as did need for urgent surgery and American Society of Anesthesiologists class. Sample entropy decreases after induction of anesthesia and continues to decrease even immediately after emergence in patients without any immediately life-threatening conditions. This finding may complicate interpretation low complexity as a predictor of life-saving interventions in patients in the perioperative period

Advanced imaging use in intensive care units has decreased, resulting in lower charges without negative effects on patient outcomes

There has been both greater recognition and scrutiny of the increased use of advanced imaging. Our aim was to determine whether there has been a change over time in the use of computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), ultrasound (US) modalities in the intensive care units (ICUs). A retrospective review of 75657 admissions to 20 ICUs was conducted. Results were analyzed with multivariate linear, negative binomial, and Poisson regressions. Primary outcomes were rates of use of CT, MRI, and US per 1000 ICU admissions every 6 months. Secondary outcomes were changes in radiology use associated with impacts on mortality, hospital length of stay (LOS), ICU LOS, and hospital charges. The rate of imaging use decreased by 13.5% between 2007 and 2011 (incidence rate ratio [IRR], 0.982; P < .001). Most of this decrease was by CTs (21.0%; IRR, 0.973; P < .001). Use of MRI decreased by 6.0% (IRR, 0.991; P = .04), whereas US increased by 18.9% (IRR, 1.012; P < .001). The charges associated with imaging decreased by $74 per ICU admission, which would save an estimated$1.2 million in charges during 2011. Decreased imaging was not associated with changes in mortality, hospital, and ICU LOS. Advanced imaging use decreased for 5 years in the ICUs, resulting in decreased charges without negative effects on patient outcomes