Ultrasound-guided central venous access using Google Glass.

BACKGROUND: The use of ultrasound during invasive bedside procedures is quickly becoming the standard of care. Ultrasound machine placement during procedures often requires the practitioner to turn their head during the procedure to view the screen. Such turning has been implicated in unintentional hand movements in novices. Google Glass is a head-mounted computer with a specialized screen capable of projecting images and video into the view of the wearer. Such technology may help decrease unintentional hand movements. OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to evaluate whether or not medical practitioners at various levels of training could use Google Glass to perform an ultrasound-guided procedure, and to explore potential advantages of this technology. METHODS: Forty participants of varying training levels were randomized into two groups. One group used Google Glass to perform an ultrasound-guided central line. The other group used traditional ultrasound during the procedure. Video recordings of eye and hand movements were analyzed. RESULTS: All participants from both groups were able to complete the procedure without difficulty. Google Glass wearers took longer to perform the procedure at all training levels (medical student year 1 [MS1]: 193 s vs. 77 s, p > 0.5; MS4: 197s vs. 91s, p ≤ 0.05; postgraduate year 1 [PGY1]: 288s vs. 125 s, p > 0.5; PGY3: 151 s vs. 52 s, p ≤ 0.05), and required more needle redirections (MS1: 4.4 vs. 2.0, p > 0.5; MS4: 4.8 vs. 2.8, p > 0.5; PGY1: 4.4 vs. 2.8, p > 0.5; PGY3: 2.0 vs. 1.0, p > 0.5). CONCLUSIONS: In this study, it was possible to perform ultrasound-guided procedures with Google Glass. Google Glass wearers, on average, took longer to gain access, and had more needle redirections, but less head movements were noted.

Bedside ocular ultrasound.

Many ocular emergencies are difficult to diagnose in the emergency setting with conventional physical examination tools. Additionally, persistent efforts to re-examine the eye may be deleterious to a patient's overall condition. Ultrasound is an important tool because it affords physicians a rapid, portable, accurate, and dynamic tool for evaluation of a variety of ocular and orbital diseases. The importance of understanding orbital anatomy, with attention to the firm attachment points of the various layers of the eye, cannot be understated. This article describes the relevant eye anatomy, delves into the ultrasound technique, and illustrates a variety of orbital pathologies detectable by bedside ultrasound.

Bedside musculoskeletal ultrasonography.

Bedside sonography for the evaluation of soft tissue and musculoskeletal conditions has become indispensible for physicians caring for patients in critical, emergency, and urgent care settings. This article reviews indications, techniques, and imaging appearances of common conditions encountered in clinical practice.

Basic ultrasound-guided procedures.

Use of bedside ultrasound to guide simple procedures increases safety by allowing real-time visualization of patient anatomy. This article discusses ultrasound guidance for basic procedures including peripheral and central intravenous access, arterial access, suprapubic aspiration, abscess incision and drainage, foreign body identification, and joint arthrocentesis. It reviews the indications and complications of the procedure, advantages of ultrasound guidance, anatomy, and procedural technique.

Advanced ultrasound procedures.

Ultrasound guidance has become the standard of care for many bedside procedures, owing to its portability, ease of use, and significant reduction in complications. This article serves as an introduction to the use of ultrasonography in several advanced procedures, including pericardiocentesis, thoracentesis, paracentesis, lumbar puncture, regional anesthesia, and peritonsillar abscess drainage.

An introduction to ultrasound equipment and knobology.

The use of ultrasonography in medical practice has evolved dramatically over the last few decades and will continue to improve as technological advances are incorporated into daily medical practice. Although ultrasound machine size and equipment have evolved, the basic principles and fundamental functions have remained essentially the same. This article reviews the general ultrasound apparatus design, the most common probe types available, and the system controls used to manipulate the images obtained. Becoming familiar with the machine and the controls used for image generation optimizes the scans being performed and enhances the use of ultrasound in patient care.

The CORE scan: concentrated overview of resuscitative efforts.

Critically ill patients require rapid, accurate assessments and appropriate therapeutic interventions to maximize their chances of recovery. Often the cause of a patient's decompensation is not readily apparent based solely on history and physical examination findings. The Concentrated Overview of Resuscitative Efforts (CORE scan) is a compilation of targeted bedside ultrasound exams that should be performed during the assessment and management of critically ill patients. The CORE scan can be used to help make critical diagnoses and guide resuscitation efforts in patients with undifferentiated deterioration.

Bedside ultrasound evaluation of tendon injuries.

OBJECTIVE: The primary purpose of this study was to investigate the overall accuracy of bedside extremity tendon ultrasound performed by emergency physicians in the emergency department. We also sought to investigate whether or not bedside tendon ultrasonography can be used to expedite the diagnosis and discharge planning in patients with suspected tendon injuries. METHODS: This was a prospective study conducted at 2 academic level 1 trauma centers. Thirty-four patients were enrolled and underwent a comprehensive physical examination of the injured extremity, followed by a bedside ultrasound evaluation to look for tendon disruption. Results of the tendon ultrasound were compared against the findings seen during wound exploration in the emergency department, wound exploration in the operating room, or results from an extremity magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). RESULTS: There were 6 finger injuries, 11 hand injuries, 6 arm injuries, 6 forearm injuries, and 5 lower extremity injuries. Of the 34 total patients, 4 patients had partial tendon injuries, 9 suffered from 100% tendon laceration or rupture, and 21 had no tendon injury noted on exploration or MRI. Bedside ultrasound had a sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of 100%, 95%, and 97%, respectively. Physical examination had a sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of 100%, 76%, and 85%, respectively. Average time to bedside ultrasound was 46.3 minutes compared with 138.6 minutes for wound irrigation and exploration, MRI, or surgery consultation. CONCLUSION: Bedside ultrasound is more sensitive and specific than physical examination for detecting tendon lacerations, and takes less time to perform than traditional wound exploration techniques or MRI.

Optic nerve ultrasound for the detection of elevated intracranial pressure in the hypertensive patient.

PURPOSE: We sought to determine whether dilation of the optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD), as detected at the bedside by emergency ultrasound (US), could reliably correlate with patient blood pressure and whether there was a blood pressure cutoff point where you would start to see abnormal dilation in the ONSD. METHODS: This was a single-blinded, prospective, observational trial from September 2010 to April 2011. One hundred fifty patients presenting to the emergency department were enrolled. There were 3 arms to the study with 50 patients in each arm: (1) ONSD in normotensive/asymptomatic patients; (2) ONSD in hypertensive/asymptomatic patients; and (3) ONSD in hypertensive/symptomatic patients. Ocular US was conducted on all subjects. RESULTS: Neither the number of symptoms nor the type of symptom present in the hypertensive/symptomatic group was able to significantly predict the average ONSD before treatment (P = .818 and .288, respectively). There was a significant correlation between both systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) with the ONSD in all hypertensive patients. The best SBP and DBP cutoff point for abnormal ONSD was 166/82 mm Hg. Decrease in ONSD observed after blood pressure treatment was not statistically significant (P = .073). CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, our study shows that practitioners can use bedside ocular US and a blood pressure cutoff point to help predict whether patients require more aggressive management of their symptomatic hypertension. Knowing the SBP and DBP readings that lead to increased ONSD and increased intracranial pressure can help guide management and treatment decisions at the bedside.

Bedside ultrasound diagnosis of a traumatic bladder rupture.

BACKGROUND: Urinary bladder rupture is a complication of both blunt and penetrating trauma. Significant morbidity and mortality can result from a missed rupture and its ensuing complications. Patients who are at risk for traumatic bladder rupture should undergo appropriate testing to expedite the diagnosis. Current diagnostic modalities include computed tomography (CT) cystography, and retrograde cystography. Although these modalities carry a sensitivity and specificity of 95-99% and 95-100%, their utility is limited by the resources and staff available. Furthermore, both techniques require that a potentially hemodynamically unstable trauma patient be transported out of the Emergency Department for the entire duration of the procedure. OBJECTIVE: The following case report reviews the incidence and management of traumatic bladder rupture and describes how emergency physicians (EP) can use ultrasound to make this diagnosis quickly and safely at the bedside. CASE REPORT: The case report describes a patient involved in a motor vehicle collision with a history concerning for urinary bladder injury. A bedside ultrasound study performed by the EP was used to establish the diagnosis of urinary bladder rupture. The ultrasound demonstrated a small contracted urinary bladder with copious free fluid anterior to the bladder wall. The diagnosis was confirmed by CT and the patient was taken expeditiously to the operating room. CONCLUSION: This case provides an example of how bedside ultrasound can be used to make an accurate and timely diagnosis of urinary bladder rupture and help expedite patient care.

Tension hydrothorax in a pediatric patient with a ventriculopleural shunt.

BACKGROUND: Ventriculopleural shunts have been utilized in the management of hydrocephalus since the early 1900s. Shunt malfunctions can lead to fluid accumulation in the pleural space and a tension hydrothorax can develop. Improved diagnostic and therapeutic resources have led to an increasing number of ventriculopleural shunts being utilized in patients with symptomatic hydrocephalus. Emergency physicians are being called upon more frequently to diagnose and help manage many of the critical complications that can arise with ventricular shunts. OBJECTIVES: Very little literature exists concerning the evaluation and treatment of patients with a suspected tension hydrothorax secondary to a ventriculopleural shunt malfunction. If left unrecognized and untreated, tension pneumothoraces can progress and result in hemodynamic decompensation and cardiopulmonary arrest. Patient survival depends on early diagnosis and prompt fluid drainage in this clinically challenging scenario. CASE REPORT: This is the first article in the emergency medicine literature to describe the presentation and management of a pediatric patient who presents to the Emergency Department with a rare diagnosis of a tension hydrothorax secondary to a defective ventriculopleural shunt. CONCLUSION: The increasing number of ventriculopleural shunts being utilized requires emergency physicians to become familiar with the life-threatening complications that can be associated with these types of shunts. Correctly identifying this complication and initiating immediate treatment can lead to improved patient outcomes.

Ultrasound can accurately guide gastrostomy tube replacement and confirm proper tube placement at the bedside.

BACKGROUND: Malfunctioning or dislodged gastrostomy tubes (G-tubes) often require urgent replacement and reinsertion in the Emergency Department (ED). Few data exist regarding the best technique for bedside catheter replacement and verification, and individual operator preferences vary. Although a few reports have described the use of ultrasound guidance during the initial percutaneous insertion, no data are available concerning its role during subsequent G-tube replacements. OBJECTIVE: We sought to investigate the utility of bedside ultrasonography during G-tube replacements in the ED. METHODS: This was a prospective pilot study conducted at a Level 1 Trauma Center with an annual census of 90,000 patients. Seven adults and three children with malfunctioning G-tubes were enrolled. Three tubes were cracked and leaking, and seven tubes had been dislodged. Under ultrasound, a new G-tube was inserted through the previously fashioned tract. After insertion, color Doppler was applied over the catheter tip to enhance visualization during gentle tube oscillation. RESULTS: Ultrasound successfully visualized G-tube replacement in all 10 patients. Application of color Doppler over the G-tube tip during catheter oscillation enhanced placement confirmation. Sonographic findings were corroborated with gastric content aspiration, contrast-enhanced radiographs, and successful use of the new G-tubes. No false tracts were identified during ultrasound-guided insertion, post-procedure sonographic confirmation, or subsequent radiographs. CONCLUSION: The improper replacement of a G-tube can lead to devastating consequences. Verifying appropriate placement through aspirate evaluation can be misleading, and post-procedure radiographs increase radiation exposure and ED wait times. Bedside ultrasonography can be used to guide catheter insertion while providing a safe and quick adjunct to confirm proper G-tube placement.

A measurement tool for simulation-based training in emergency medicine: the simulation module for assessment of resident targeted event responses (SMARTER) approach.

The use of simulation in graduate medical education affords unique opportunities for increasing the quality of a resident's educational experiences. Additionally, simulation poses a set of challenges that must be met to realize the full potential on learning and assessment practices. This article presents a methodology for creating simulation scenarios and accompanying measurement tools that are systematically linked in a direct and explicit manner to the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) core competencies. This method, the Simulation Module for Assessment of Resident's Targeted Event Responses (SMARTER), is an 8 step process that addresses the critical challenges of performance measurement in simulations and the need to document Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education core competency based learning outcomes. The SMARTER methodology is discussed in detail and 3 examples of scenario content and measurement tools generated with the SMARTER approach are provided. Additionally, results from an initial evaluation of the practicability and utility of the SMARTER measurement tools are discussed.

Nuclear Receptor Interaction Protein (NRIP) expression assay using human tissue microarray and immunohistochemistry technology confirming nuclear localization.

BACKGROUND: A novel human nuclear receptor interaction protein (NRIP) has recently been discovered by Chen SL et al, which may play a role in enhancing the transcriptional activity of steroid nuclear receptors in prostate (LNCaP) and cervical (C33A) cancer cell lines. However, knowledge about the biological functions and clinical implications of NRIP, is still incomplete. Our aim was to determine the distribution of NRIP expression and to delineate the cell types that express NRIP in various malignant tumors and healthy non-pathological tissues. This information will significantly affect the exploration of its physiological roles in healthy and tumor cells. METHODS: By using tissue microarray (TMA) technology and an anti-NRIP monoclonal antibody immunohistochemical (IHC) survey, NRIP expression was examined in 48 types of tumors and in a control group of 48 matched or unmatched healthy non-neoplastic tissues. RESULTS: Our survey results showed that ten cases were revealed to express the NRIP in six malignancies (esophageal, colon, breast, ovarian, skin, and pancreatic cancers), but not all of these specific tumor types consistently showed positive NRIP expression. Moreover, malignant tumors of the stomach, prostate, liver, lung, kidney, uterine cervix, urinary bladder, lymph node, testis, and tongue revealed no NRIP expression. Among the control group of 48 matched and unmatched non-neoplastic tissues, all of them demonstrated IHC scores less than the cut-off threshold of 3. In addition, ten cores out of thirty-six carcinomatous tissues revealed positive NRIP expression, which indicated that NRIP expression increases significantly in carcinoma tissue cores, comparing to the matched controlled healthy tissues. CONCLUSION: This is the first study to use a human TMA and IHC to validate the nuclear localization for this newly identified NRIP expression. In considering the use of NRIP as a potential diagnostic tool for human malignancies survey, it is important to note that NRIP expression carries a sensitivity of only 23%, but has a specificity of 100%. There is also a significant difference in positive NRIP expression between primary carcinomatous tissues and matched controlled healthy tissues. Although further large-scale studies will merit to be conducted to evaluate its role as a potential adjunct for cancer diagnosis, data from this study provides valuable references for the future investigation of the biological functions of NRIP in humans.

Promoting teamwork: an event-based approach to simulation-based teamwork training for emergency medicine residents.

The growing complexity of patient care requires that emergency physicians (EPs) master not only knowledge and procedural skills, but also the ability to effectively communicate with patients and other care providers and to coordinate patient care activities. EPs must become good team players, and consequently an emergency medicine (EM) residency program must systematically train these skills. However, because teamwork-related competencies are relatively new considerations in health care, there is a gap in the methods available to accomplish this goal. This article outlines how teamwork training for residents can be accomplished by employing simulation-based training (SBT) techniques and contributes tools and strategies for designing structured learning experiences and measurement tools that are explicitly linked to targeted teamwork competencies and learning objectives. An event-based method is described and illustrative examples of scenario design and measurement tools are provided.

Improved neurological function after Amantadine treatment in two patients with brain injury.

This article presents two cases of functional recovery in patients with brain injury after treatment with Amantadine, a dopaminergic stimulant. Also presented is a review of current data available concerning dopaminergic therapy after traumatic brain injury.