Ep 133 - February 2019 Round Up

  Exploring the Latest in Emergency Medicine: February 2024 Edition Hello and welcome to the St Emlyn's Podcast! I’m Simon Carly, and today, albeit a little later than planned, I'll be diving into the fascinating February papers and blogs that have graced the St Emlyn's Podcast. If you missed out in February, fear not—you can always revisit the archives on our blog. It’s all there, waiting for you to explore. Let’s take a deep dive into what made February such an exciting month in emergency medicine. A Journey to Jeddah: Bridging Borders in Emergency Medicine In February, I had the distinct honour of travelling to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, to join the Saudi Arabian Society of Emergency Medicine. Jeddah is a city brimming with activity and change. Despite Saudi Arabia being vastly different from the UK, I found common ground with the emergency physicians there. Many of them have trained abroad in Canada, the US, and the UK, making them kindred spirits with shared values and ideas in treating emergency patients. During my visit, I was invited to present the top ten trauma papers, a task I thoroughly enjoy. These papers, detailed on our website, included highlights like the PAMPER trial and airway management papers around cardiac arrest. We also delved into studies beyond trauma, such as the Airways 2 study on superox in critically ill patients and intubation with ED use of bougies, which we advocate at St. Emlyn’s. Additionally, the conservative management of pneumothoraces, a topic we've discussed before, is becoming increasingly recognized as safe, especially for traumatic pneumothoraces visible only on CT scans. PTSD and the Road to Recovery: Insights from Rusty Carroll Our friend and colleague, Rusty Carroll, has shared another compelling post on PTSD. Rusty’s previous blogs detailed his recovery journey from PTSD, stemming from his work in the ambulance service. His latest update brings us into his post-therapy life as he navigates a new, rewarding, and successful path. For anyone experiencing PTSD or knowing someone who is, Rusty's series is invaluable. His journey may differ from yours, but understanding that there is a path to recovery is incredibly encouraging. PTSD is a serious issue that affects many healthcare professionals, and Rusty’s openness about his struggles and recovery provides a beacon of hope for others. His posts cover various aspects of his journey, from the initial recognition of symptoms to the therapeutic interventions that helped him reclaim his life. Rusty emphasizes the importance of seeking help, breaking the stigma associated with mental health issues, and supporting colleagues who may be going through similar experiences. Understanding Trauma Mortality: A Shift in Focus In our journal club, we explored why bleeding trauma patients die. This editorial by Karen Broe and John Holcomb in Critical Care Medicine challenges our preconceptions about trauma mortality. The implementation of pre-hospital systems, emergency management, and damage control surgery has significantly reduced pre-hospital deaths. However, this has shifted mortality to the emergency department's early hours and even later, 24 hours down the line. We are now seeing deaths caused by late systematic immunosuppression, persistent inflammation, and catabolism syndromes. Despite successful initial management, patients are still succumbing later on. This shift indicates that our trauma story is far from complete. More research is needed to understand and address these late-phase deaths, suggesting that critical care phases hold the key to future advancements. This new understanding prompts us to reconsider our approaches in trauma care. While we have made significant strides in reducing early mortality, the challenge now lies in managing these complex late-phase issues. This involves multidisciplinary collaboration, innovative research, and a commitment to continuous improvement in trauma care protocols. Reevaluati