By the Hammer of Thora: Pleural Effusions in the ED (part 1)

Assessing patients with pleural effusions in the emergency department (ED) can be challenging and unclear. This is largely due to the lack of guidelines around pleural effusions in the ED. In this post, I’ve tried to highlight some key information about an approach to...

Invasive Group A Strep (iGAS).. It’s Backkkk (Part 1)

In Fall 2023, I was working an evening shift at a community hospital when we got a patch. A 3-year-old girl was being brought in by EMS with an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. CPR was ongoing, and their ETA was 10 minutes. We prepared the ED for the patient’s arrival....

Mechanical Ventilation Basics

Mechanical ventilation has a lot of nuance associated with it, but a lot of reference guides focus on care in the ICU. There is certainly a need for more practical application for the ED doc or initial setup of patients on the vent. With both ER and ICU experience,...

These are the ‘Roids you are looking for – Steroids in the ED

In the acute care setting, steroids have various usages and indications, but their usage can often be nuanced. From adrenal crises to septic shock, severe community-acquired pneumonia, and even acute pharyngitis, steroids play a pivotal role in managing a variety of...

Delirium revisited

Delirium is a medical emergency. It is characterized by acute disturbance of consciousness, with changes in perceptual disturbances and fluctuation of symptoms. Delirium is often the initial manifestation of an underlying acute illness and can be present before fever,...

Posterior Circulation Strokes

Posterior circulation ischemia accounts for approximately 20-25% of all ischemic strokes and is a significant cause of patient disability. The diagnosis can be extremely challenging as findings are often not typically focal. Posterior strokes are misdiagnosed more...

Nailed it! A guide to Fingertip Injuries

A stable and functional fingertip is essential for sensation, fine motor skills, grip strength, and the overall durability and cosmetic appearance of the hand. Fingertips, often the first point of contact during daily activities, are particularly susceptible to...

Stable Vaginal Bleeding in Pregnancy

A common Emergency Department (ED) presentation, vaginal bleeding in pregnancy affects approximately 30% of pregnancies in the 1st trimester and 1-2% in the 2nd trimester. About half of these result in pregnancy loss. Here we will use cases to highlight an ED approach...

Functional Neurologic Disorders

Note: This grand rounds presentation and summary had contributions from Dr. Anne-Marie Abe, a neuropsychiatrist specializing in functional neurological disorders in Ottawa.   Patients living with functional neurologic disorders (FND) have been deeply stigmatized...

Lung Protective Ventilation

In our first part, we talked about the basics of mechanical ventilation and how to set up the ventilator for the busy ED doc! In part two, we discuss lung protective ventilation and go through a few cases to help solidify what we've learned. If you haven't read part...
Ottawa Handbook of Emergency Medicine

 

We are excited to introduce the Sixth edition of The Ottawa Handbook of Emergency Medicine. Your bedside guide for approaches to various Emergency Medicine presentations.

Highlights of the Sixth edition include the addition of: Oncologic emergencies, approach to the pregnant patient, geriatrics and more! 

Gallbladders Gone WILD

Gallbladders Gone WILD

Have you thought about your New Year’s resolutions yet? Will 2025 finally be the year you commit to the gym? Did you splurge on that expensive new gym membership? The truth about resolutions is that most of them fail. In fact, one study from the University of Bristol...

PECARN prediction rules for CT imaging of children presenting to the emergency department with blunt abdominal or minor head trauma: a multicentre prospective validation study

PECARN prediction rules for CT imaging of children presenting to the emergency department with blunt abdominal or minor head trauma: a multicentre prospective validation study

Methodology: 3/5 Usefulness: 3/5 Holmes JF, et al. Lancet Child Adolesc Health. 2024 May;8(5):339-347.  Question and Methods: This prospective multicenter cohort study sought to validate the PECARN intra-abdominal injury and traumatic brain injury rules in order to...

Nailed it! A guide to Fingertip Injuries

Nailed it! A guide to Fingertip Injuries

A stable and functional fingertip is essential for sensation, fine motor skills, grip strength, and the overall durability and cosmetic appearance of the hand. Fingertips, often the first point of contact during daily activities, are particularly susceptible to...

Mastery of DVT PoCUS

Mastery of DVT PoCUS

Point-of-care ultrasound (PoCUS) for lower extremity deep vein thrombosis (DVT) remains a skill with significant variability in local practice. While some physicians perform DVT scans regularly, others rarely incorporate PoCUS into their workflow. Regardless of your...

Validation of the Hospital for Sick Children Algorithm for Discriminating Bacteremia From Contaminants in Children With a Preliminary Positive Blood Culture

Validation of the Hospital for Sick Children Algorithm for Discriminating Bacteremia From Contaminants in Children With a Preliminary Positive Blood Culture

Methodology: 3.5/5 Usefulness: 2/5 Gravel J, et al. Ann Emerg Med. 2024 Nov;84(5):490-499. doi: 10.1016/j.annemergmed.2024.05.005.  Question and Methods: The authors aimed to validate the Sick Kids algorithm for distinguishing bacteremia from contaminants in pediatric...

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World-Class Emergency Medicine: To provide outstanding compassionate emergency care through practice-changing research and innovative medical education. For more about our department, visit us at EMOttawa.

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Mission Statement

World-Class Emergency Medicine: To provide outstanding compassionate emergency care through practice-changing research and innovative medical education. For more about our department, visit us at EMOttawa.

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