One-and-a-Half Syndrome in a Case of Brainstem Bleed.

One-and-a-half syndrome (OHS) is a horizontal gaze palsy in one direction with internuclear ophthalmoplegia (INO) in the other. The only eye movement possible is the abduction of the contralateral eye with nystagmus. The usual structures affected are the medial longitudinal fasciculus and paramedian pontine reticular formation or the abducens nucleus. Most commonly, the OHS is caused by ischemia and demyelinating lesions. The other causes include infectious, neoplastic, and rarely traumatic. We report a case of a 42-year-old non-compliant hypertensive female who presented with giddiness, projectile vomiting, and right-sided hemiparesis and was found to have OHS on cranial nerve examination in the emergency department (ED). In the ED, the presence of complete horizontal gaze palsy in one direction with INO in the other direction should raise suspicion of a brainstem pathology.

Factors associated with unexplained sudden deaths among adults aged 18-45 years in India - A multicentric matched case-control study.

BACKGROUND OBJECTIVES: In view of anecdotal reports of sudden unexplained deaths in India's apparently healthy young adults, linking to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection or vaccination, we determined the factors associated with such deaths in individuals aged 18-45 years through a multicentric matched case-control study. METHODS: This study was conducted through participation of 47 tertiary care hospitals across India. Cases were apparently healthy individuals aged 18-45 years without any known co-morbidity, who suddenly (<24 h of hospitalization or seen apparently healthy 24 h before death) died of unexplained causes during 1 st October 2021-31 st March 2023. Four controls were included per case matched for age, gender and neighborhood. We interviewed/perused records to collect data on COVID-19 vaccination/infection and post-COVID-19 conditions, family history of sudden death, smoking, recreational drug use, alcohol frequency and binge drinking and vigorous-intensity physical activity two days before death/interviews. We developed regression models considering COVID-19 vaccination ≤42 days before outcome, any vaccine received anytime and vaccine doses to compute an adjusted matched odds ratio (aOR) with 95 per cent confidence interval (CI). RESULTS: Seven hundred twenty nine cases and 2916 controls were included in the analysis. Receipt of at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine lowered the odds [aOR (95% CI)] for unexplained sudden death [0.58 (0.37, 0.92)], whereas past COVID-19 hospitalization [3.8 (1.36, 10.61)], family history of sudden death [2.53 (1.52, 4.21)], binge drinking 48 h before death/interview [5.29 (2.57, 10.89)], use of recreational drug/substance [2.92 (1.1, 7.71)] and performing vigorous-intensity physical activity 48 h before death/interview [3.7 (1.36, 10.05)] were positively associated. Two doses lowered the odds of unexplained sudden death [0.51 (0.28, 0.91)], whereas single dose did not. INTERPRETATION CONCLUSIONS: COVID-19 vaccination did not increase the risk of unexplained sudden death among young adults in India. Past COVID-19 hospitalization, family history of sudden death and certain lifestyle behaviors increased the likelihood of unexplained sudden death.

Nonketotic Hyperglycemic Hemichorea in an Elderly Male: A Case Report.

BACKGROUND: Nonketotic hyperglycemic hemichorea is a rare complication of diabetes mellitus seen in the emergency department. It is most commonly reported in elderly women, predominantly of Asian race, with poorly controlled diabetes mellitus. Patients present with a triad of nonketotic hyperglycemia, hemichorea, and contralateral basal ganglia abnormality on imaging. Its exact pathophysiology is still not known. However, it has a very good prognosis with early diagnosis and treatment. CASE REPORT: We report a case of hemichorea involving the right upper and lower limbs due to nonketotic hyperglycemia. The patient's symptoms resolved after normalization of blood glucose. WHY SHOULD AN EMERGENCY PHYSICIAN BE AWARE OF THIS?: Nonketotic hyperglycemic hemichorea should be included in the differential of a patient presenting with chorea and high blood glucose levels. It has an excellent prognosis with both symptoms and imaging abnormalities typically resolving completely with restoration of normoglycemia.

Clinical Profile and Outcome in Patients with Spontaneous Subarachnoid Hemorrhage from a South Indian Tertiary Centre: A Prospective Observational Study.

Objective Spontaneous subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is a neurological condition that causes significant morbidity and mortality. It is known to have regional differences in its incidence. Indian studies have shown conflicting results about the incidence of aneurysms as the cause of SAH, varying from 35% to 80%. The data available on the epidemiology of spontaneous SAH in the South Indian population are very few. Our study aims to describe the clinical profile of patients presenting with spontaneous SAH to the emergency department in a tertiary center in South India and describe the factors influencing the clinical outcome. Materials and Methods The study included 75 patients diagnosed with spontaneous SAH in our emergency department. Demographic data, medical history, details about the first medical contact, clinical features at admission, complications during the hospital stay, and interventions underwent were recorded. The study participants were followed-up at 6 weeks after discharge from hospital to assess the neurological outcome based on modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score, using a 9-point questionnaire. Results Of the 75 patients with spontaneous SAH, the majority were females, and in the age group of 50 to 69 years. The median time to first medical contact was observed to be 2 hours; and SAH was diagnosed at the first medical contact only in 37% of the patients. Hypertension was the most common comorbid condition associated with SAH (53%). Almost 80% of the patients who underwent angiographic studies had aneurysmal SAH (aSAH). Hydrocephalus was the most common complication seen in 37% of the patients, followed by hyponatremia (28%) and vasospasm (25%). At the time of follow-up after 6 weeks, we found that 36% of the patients were having a neurologically favorable outcome with an mRS score of 0 to 2, 8% of patients were having moderate to severe disability (mRS 3 to 5) and were living a dependent life. The mortality rate (mRS 6) was observed to be around 50% (6% lost to follow-up). Conclusion We observed a relatively higher incidence of aneurysmal rupture among the patients with spontaneous SAH in our region. The misdiagnosis rate at first medical contact was higher. The mortality rate was observed to be around 50% at 6 weeks. Loss of consciousness at ictus, aneurysmal rupture, WFNS grades IV-V, hydrocephalus, vasospasm, hypernatremia, and delayed cerebral ischemia were found to be the mortality predictors in SAH.

Pneumomediastinum in COVID-19 disease: Clinical review with emphasis on emergency management.

Pneumomediastinum can be primary (spontaneous) or secondary to iatrogenic, traumatic, and non-traumatic causes. The incidence of spontaneous and secondary pneumomediastinum is higher in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) compared to the general population. So, pneumomediastinum should be considered in the differential diagnosis of any patient with COVID-19 presenting with chest pain and breathlessness. A high level of suspicion is required to diagnose this condition promptly. Unlike in other disease conditions, pneumomediastinum in COVID-19 has a complicated course with higher mortality in intubated patients. No guidelines exist for managing pneumomediastinum patients with COVID-19. Therefore, emergency physicians should be aware of the various treatment modalities besides conservative management for pneumomediastinum and life-saving interventions for tension pneumomediastinum.

The ABCDE (Avoid Shaming/Personal Opinions, Build a Rapport, Choose a Communication Approach, Develop a Debriefing Content, Ensure the Ergonomics of Debriefing) Approach: A Simplified Model for Debriefing During Simulation in Emergency Medicine.

Several debriefing models have been described in the literature. However, all these debriefing models are designed in the general medical education format. Hence, for people involved in patient care and clinical teaching, sometimes it may become tedious and difficult to incorporate these models. In the following article, we describe a simplified model for debriefing using the well-known mnemonic ABCDE. The ABCDE approach is expanded as follows: A - Avoid Shaming/Personal Opinions, B - Build a Rapport, C - Choose a Communication Approach, D - Develop a Debriefing Content, and E - Ensure the Ergonomics of Debriefing. The unique thing about this model is that it provides a debriefing approach as a whole rather than only the delivery. It deals with human factors, educational factors, and ergonomics of debriefing, unlike other debriefing models. This approach can be used for debriefing by simulation educators in the field of emergency medicine and also by educators in other specialties.

Tachycardia origin prediction using point of care ultrasound (TOP-UP) - A novel technique.

Narrow complex tachycardia (NCT) is often due to supraventricular tachycardia (SVT). SVT with aberrancy, preexcitation, paced rhythm, rate-dependent bundle branch block, preexisting conduction defects or SVT due to drugs, and electrolyte abnormality can also be wide complex. Wide-complex tachycardia (WCT) is often ventricular tachycardia (VT), but fascicular VT (fVT) can present as NCT. Thus, WCT can be either VT or SVT. This has been a perplexing problem for the emergency physician for ages. Here, in this case series, we describe the novel use of point-of-care ultrasound to differentiate SVT from VT.

Cardiac tamponade due to right atrial rupture.

Cardiac tamponade is a cardiac emergency that requires urgent intervention. Cardiac tamponade due to penetrating cardiac injury requires urgent thoracotomy. As per the guidelines, pericardiocentesis can be done as a bridge to thoracotomy. However, no clear guidelines exist on the management of cardiac tamponade due to blunt cardiac injury. In the following case report, we propose a management plan for blunt cardiac injury in the emergency department. In the following case report, we describe a patient with a road traffic accident who had a blunt cardiac injury and had cardiac tamponade for whom we did not do emergency pericardiocentesis. Instead, we managed the patient with iv fluids and blood transfusion and the patient was taken up for immediate emergency thoracotomy. Not all cardiac tamponade requires pericardiocentesis. Cardiac tamponade due to injury to the low-pressure system can be best managed by initial resuscitation followed by emergency thoracotomy. We also propose a management plan for managing a patient with cardiac tamponade due to blunt cardiac injury when the injury can be visible in the low-pressure chambers.

Effectiveness of Multimodal Intervention to Improve Blood Culture Collection in the Emergency Department.

Introduction: The blood culture (BC) contamination was a significant problem in our hospital, especially in the emergency department (ED). The study, therefore, was undertaken to improve the BC collection in the ED. Methods: The study was conducted for 1 year divided into two phases of 6 months each: Preintervention phase and intervention phase (regular and phlebotomist groups). The interventions comprised implementing standard protocol for BC collection and conducting educational sessions. In preintervention and regular groups, the BCs were collected by interns and technicians, while dedicated phlebotomist did so in the phlebotomist group. Data were analyzed and interpreted for the contamination rate as well as compliance in adequate filling of the requisition form. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 22. A value of P < 0.005 was considered statistically significant, and P < 0.01 was considered statistically significant. Results: In the preintervention group, 13.7% of specimens were reported as contaminated which was reduced to 4.2% and 3.2% in the regular and phlebotomist group, respectively, after intervention. Compliance of health-care workers to various elements of BC collection protocol was also found to be significantly improved in the intervention phase compared to the preintervention phase (P < 0.001). Conclusions: Implementation of this multimodal intervention resulted in a drastic reduction in BC contamination and improvement in compliance to BC collection protocol and filling of various parameters in the BC requisition form, thus improving the overall effectiveness of BC testing. It was also noted that the contamination rate was further reduced by implementing dedicated phlebotomist.

'Hydro-point' - The forgotten and unspoken entity in hydropneumothorax.

Effusive pneumothorax is an abnormal collection of air and fluid within the pleural space: blood, pus, or serous fluid. Thus, effusive pneumothorax can be categorized as hemopneumothorax, pyopneumothorax, or hydropneumothorax, depending on the type of fluid accumulation. Hydropneumothorax is a clinical condition defined by the presence of air and serous fluid within the pleura space. Hydropneumothorax is one of the common respiratory emergencies encountered in the emergency department in India. Etiologies can be classified into infectious and non-infectious causes, among which tuberculosis being the most common one. Point of care ultrasound (POCUS) can help diagnose hydropneumothorax at the bedside rather than shift the patient for an X-ray. Here, we describe a case of hydropneumothorax, which was diagnosed using POCUS by characteristic sonographic signs, namely "Hydro-point" and "barcode-hydro point-sinusoidal sign." Sonographic hydro-point is the transition zone of the air-fluid interface, which is seen in hydropneumothorax. Targhetta et al., in 1992, introduced the term "Hydro-point" in lung ultrasound for diagnosing hydropneumothorax but has been under-reported/unspoken much in the literature. With the use of POCUS, we diagnosed and stabilized the patient in the Emergency Department.

Stanford - A Aortic Dissection Presenting as a Triple Mimic and Role of Point of Care Ultrasound in Deciphering It.

Aortic dissection (AD) is a great imitator, and its diagnosis is quite challenging due to its varied presentations and unreliable clinical findings. Based on the literature search we found, this is the first case report of Stanford-A/DeBakey Type 1 AD reported as a triple mimic, namely stroke, acute limb ischemia, and pericarditis. Here, we describe the case of a 46-year-old male who presented to our emergency department with features suggestive of acute pericarditis, cerebrovascular accident, acute limb ischemia, which could have been attributed to athero-thrombo-embolic disease and AD could have been possibly missed. However, point-of-care ultrasound helped us in the diagnosis of this highly lethal condition.

Need for a Change - Extended-FAST to Extended Diaphragmatic-FAST.

Post-traumatic hypoxia can be due to different causes, namely airway problems, pneumothorax, hemothorax, lung contusion, flail chest, traumatic diaphragmatic injuries (TDI), aspiration due to low sensorium, a respiratory paradox in cervical spine injury, severe hypotension, etc., It is a great challenge to identify the cause of hypoxia in a trauma setting because the contributing factors can be multiple or can be a remote cause, which is often missed out. Here, we describe a 50-year-old female who presented to our emergency department with Post-traumatic hypoxia whose sensorium, blood pressure, chest X-ray, E-FAST computed tomography of brain, and other baseline investigation were completely normal, diagnosed later as TDI with the help of diaphragmatic ultrasound and computed tomography of thorax.

Mechanodefibrillator dissociation due to prolonged sinus arrest / Mecano disociación del desfibrilador debido a un paro sinusal prolongado

To the editor, Sinus arrest and cardiac arrest are two different terms which are often confused by many. This confusion often leads to inappropriate cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) when patient is connected to defibrillator. Sinus arrest is defined as transient pause in Sino-atrial firing for more than 3 s1. When sinus arrest occurs, other latent pacemakers (atrial myocardium, cells nearby atrioventricular node, and His purkinje system) usually starts firing until Sino-atrial node recover. Sinus arrest can be prolonged till other pacemakers starts firing2. Cardiac arrest occurs when these latent pacemakers does not take up the job of alternate firing. Prolonged sinus arrest in a defibrillator may look like a cardiac arrest which might lead to unnecessary CPR. Here, we would like the put forward a new term “mechano - defibrillator dissociation” which occurs because of prolonged sinus arrest. We should be aware this, so that inappropriate CPR could be avoided. We, emergency physician also faced similar situation while resuscitating a patient because of mechano - defibrillator dissociation caused by prolonged sinus arrest/pseudo cardiac arrest. A 52-year-old male diabetic, hypertensive, and chronic alcoholic came to our emergency department (ED) with history of giddiness, syncope, and palpitation. On arrival to ED, patient was drowsy, diaphoretic, and hypotensive. Patient was connected to defibrillator which showed a heart rate of 35/min and saturation was 90% in room air. ECG showed complete heat block (CHB) and point of care echocardiography showed reduced ejection fraction.