Difficult airway is a broad term that unfortunately encompasses many clinical situations and their potential management options. Airway management difficulties can be divided into those that are predicted and those that are unexpected. They also can require immediate attention (emergent) or be stable (non-emergent). Difficulty can arise at any stage of airway management. Development of a standardized airway assessment and approach to management allows the physician to provide better patient care. Optimal care requires skill in assessing the situation, knowledge of equipment, and finally, how to use it successfully.
Although the exact number of children that sustain hand and wrist injuries is unknown, there have been many studies conducted in the United States and abroad during the past 10 years that provide valuable information regarding common mechanisms of injury, frequently sustained injury patterns, and injury patterns suspicious for abuse that may be of benefit in the care and treatment of the general pediatric population. The authors of this article provide a comprehensive review of pediatric hand and wrist injuries with a special emphasis on the unique aspects of management.
Once the diagnosis of alcohol withdrawal syndrome is confirmed, the treatment of the life-threatening sequelae must be swift. For many years, the pharmacologic agent of choice to treat AWS has been quite controversial. Benzodiazepines, antiepileptic agents, ethanol, and barbiturates have all been the preferred drug at one time or another. In recent years, benzodiazepines have come to the forefront as the drug class of choice, although some agents may offer advantages over others. Several guidelines have been developed to aid the emergency medicine practitioner select the most effective and efficient therapy. This review outlines, in systematic detail, the full range of AWS and risk-directed interventions shown to improve clinical outcomes in AWS.
