Many ER residents have found themselves justifying an admission of an acute or decompensated heart failure patient to a skeptical admitting resident. For better or worse, the skepticism is not without reason; an initial ED admission diagnosis of AHF (acute heart failure) in ED is discordant from final discharge diagnosis in about one out […]

So how do you use that big fancy LUCAS machine? Pretty easy actually, but worth knowing before your arresting patient arrives. 1) Position the machine on the patient: Put the yellow back plate under the patient; this should be neatly centered behind the patient’s sternum to facilitate accurate application of the suction cup. Now click […]

  Want to read an EKG like a 3rd year med student? Recognize ST elevations. Want to blow your attending away with your savant-like EKG mastery? Start learning all the myriad STEMI equivalents. For today: the de Winter’s T-wave. What is it? Up-sweeping ST-depression and symmetrical peaked t-wave in pre-cordial leads (see below) What does […]

  Looking to up your lac repair game? With a simple modification, the old dependable horizontal mattress stitch can be transformed into the notably improved and versatile modified locking horizontal mattress stitch. This stitch provides nice wound eversion, fine approximation, and easier removal. For EM physicians, the technique can also be used for achieving hemostasis […]

Missed CORD? Here are a few take home thoughts from @BenAzan and @NupurGargMD. This is by no means meant to be comprehensive, but represents the learning points of a couple of senior residents at CORD. – Education – Career in Academics:  Strive to get where you want academically BUT don’t necessarily to have I keep going up hierarchy to be happy – […]