FOAMcast - An Emergency Medicine Podcast

This tiny episode covers a blog entry from BrownCoatNation.com (University of Illinois, Chicago), who has a new series entitled “Inconceivable.” The idea is to expose medical terminology that we tend to use incorrectly. The first installment is focused on the misuse of the term "left shift," and it's the focus of this FOAMcastini.

'Left shift" refers to the presence of banded (immature) neutrophils in the blood. It does not refer to an elevated white blood cell count with a high percentage of neutrophils. An elevated white blood cell count with an abnormally high percentage of neutrophils should be called "neutrophillic leukocytosis." Only the presence of immature neutrophils in the periphery (including bands) can accurately be called a "left shift." 

We will be back shortly with regular episodes, once their schedules coincide.

Thanks for listening!

 
Direct download: FOAMcastini_left_shift.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:29am EDT

In this episode, we cover the St. Emlyn's team's post on the REVERT trial, which added a new spin to the traditional (and traditionally ineffective) Valsalva maneuver for stable supraventricular tachycardia (SVT). In this post, Dr. Rick Body goes through the trial covering not only the results and also drops pearls on methodology.

Then, we cover core content pearls on supraventricular tachycardia and ventricular tachycardia. Visit foamcast.org for more as well as generously donated Rosh Review questions.

Thanks y'all!

-Jeremy Faust and Lauren Westafer

Direct download: FOAMcast_34._SVT_and_Vtach_take_2.mp3
Category:cardiology -- posted at: 6:54am EDT

This week we cover Dr. Ryan Radecki's post on Gestational Age Adjusted D-Dimer covering an article by Murphy et al. 

Then we review the differential diagnosis and workup of hemoptysis using Rosen's Emergency Medicine and Tintinalli as a guide.

We have Rosh Review questions and more available on our website, FOAMcast.org.


Thanks y'all!

-Jeremy Faust and Lauren Westafer

 

Direct download: FOAMcast_33._Pulmonary_Embolisms_in_Pregnancy.mp3
Category:respiratory -- posted at: 5:32pm EDT

This week we cover Dr. Rory Spiegel's post on initial non-operative management of acute appendicitis in his blog post on EMnerd reviewing a paper by Salminen et al.

Then we review appendicitis and some other right lower quadrant abdominal pearls using Rosen's Emergency Medicine and Tintinalli as a guide.

We have Rosh Review questions and more available on our website, FOAMcast.org.


Thanks y'all!

-Jeremy Faust and Lauren Westafer

 

Direct download: FOAMcast_32._Acute_Appendicitis..mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:46pm EDT

This week we cover posts from the Wessex ICS site, The Bottom Line, which is an excellent source for breakdown of recent and important trials. We cover their post on a systematic review of peripheral pressor complications (Loubani et al) and then we delve into a recent prospective trial by Cardenas-Garcia and colleagues that came up at SMACC.

Then we review peripheral vasopressors using Tintinalli and Rosen's Emergency Medicine as a guide. 

We have Rosh Review questions and more available on our website, FOAMcast.org.


Thanks y'all!

-Jeremy Faust and Lauren Westafer

Direct download: FOAMcast_31._Pressors.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:39am EDT

ACEP released an updated clinical policy on the use of tPA for acute ischemic stroke in June 2015.  We reviewed this on a prior episode. While we are not an interview based show, we had to seize the opportunity to talk with those with more experience. 

In this episode, Jeremy interviews Dr. Jerry Hoffman, a notorious tPA critic.

We shall return to regular core content soon.

-Jeremy Faust and Lauren Westafer

Direct download: FOAMcastini_Jerry_Hoffman.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:45pm EDT

ACEP published the clinical policy on the use of tPA for acute ischemic stroke in June.  We covered the draft in January in a FOAMcastini.  Given some significant changes, we wanted to update y'all to ensure we deliver accurate information.

We review the changes and then tap our tPA brain trust, Drs. Anand Swaminathan, Ken Milne, Ryan Radecki, and David Newman for expert opinion.

Direct download: FOAMcastini_ACEP_tPA_update.mp3
Category:emergency medicine, neurology -- posted at: 5:29pm EDT

FOAMcast is bringing you pearls from conferences we attend including SMACC.  (and next June 13-16, we'll bring you pearls from smaccDUB in Dublin, Ireland)

Today we discuss some pearls on shift work, analgesia (even without drugs), the perils of the Glasgow Coma Scale and more!

Direct download: FOAMcastini_SMACC_day_3.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:41pm EDT

FOAMcast is bringing you pearls from conferences we attend including SMACC.  (and next June 13-16, we'll bring you pearls from smaccDUB in Dublin, Ireland)

Today we discuss some pearls on pediatric fluids, impact apnea, evidence based medicine, and death.

 

Direct download: FOAMcastini_SMACC_day_2.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:14pm EDT

FOAMcast is bringing you pearls from conferences we attend including SMACC.  

The overarching theme to Day 1 at SMACC?  Use your team-to check you and for feedback.  Dr. Cliff Reid reminded us to follow up our patients and outcomes and learn from it all, without letting our egos get in the way.   Dr. Simon Carley (St. Emlyn's) gave a powerful talk on learning from mistakes later in the day; you will definitely want to listen to these when they come out.

We cover trauma pearls from Dr. Scott Weingart, pain pearls from Dr. Reuben Strayer, tox pearls form Dr. David Juurlin, and a bunch of sepsis goodness. 

Direct download: FOAMcastini_SMACC_day_1.1.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:14pm EDT