An infant under 3 months with Erb’s Palsy is referred to occupational therapy for hand splints. You wonder if splinting is a useful intervention to improve joint range of movement (ROM) for this client group.
Archives: BETs
A 12-year-old girl requires a lumbar puncture (LP) for possible meningitis/encephalitis. She has a postdural puncture headache (PDPH). While discussing her treatment options with the anaesthetic team they ask why a cutting point needle was used. You wonder if there is any evidence to back up their claim that cutting needles are associated with a higher incidence of post-puncture headache.
Lateral soft tissue neck x-ray in non-aspirated upper airway foreign body impaction
A 48yr old male attends your ED with a sensation of foreign body in his hypopharynx after eating lamb curry. You feel he warrants naso-endoscopy and refer him to ENT. You are asked to order a lateral soft tissue neck x-ray by your ENT colleagues. You wonder if this will alter his management.
Is IV valproate better than IV phenytoin in adults with status epilepticus?
You are called to resus to see an adult with known epilepsy who has been brought in by ambulance in status epilepticus. The seizure is ongoing despite IM and IV midazolam boluses. A phenytoin infusion is the widely accepted second line treatment for benzodiazepine-resistant seizures, however you are aware of draft guidelines suggesting the use of newer anticonvulsants such as valproate or levetiracetam.