Mediterranean Journal of Emergency Medicine

Yemen: Dealing with the COVID-19 Pandemic alongside the World’s worst Humanitarian Crisis

2022-09-10T00:16:10-04:00

There is an emerging impetus to improve emergency medicine (EM) in Yemen, beginning with the ongoing expansion of emergency medicine residency training, to the establishment of a professional association of emergency medicine and disaster preparedness and management named the Yemeni Association of Emergency Medicine and Disasters (YAEMD). However, over the past few decades, Yemen faced many difficulties that created further challenges in the development of an effective emergency medical care. This article explores the multiple factors that have led to the current crisis in which the already depleted Yemeni medical sector is faced with battling the COVID-19 pandemic, on top of many existing challenges. The paper examines the distinctive challenges that face Yemen’s emergency departments, including epidemic diseases such cholera, diphtheria, dengue and measles; the geopolitical impact of the ongoing civil war; and the daily threats of violence and homicide against emergency healthcare workers. Potential solutions are explored, including national and international efforts to properly allocate government funds and to implement universal health insurance plans. Further research is needed to investigate possible solutions for evaluating effective change in emergency medical services in Yemen.

Preview of EUSEM-Berlin Program, what to expect?

2022-09-30T02:14:40-04:00

The Covid-19 pandemic started late 2019 and made a
major change worldwide. Even though the year 2020 was very difficult, the EUSEM family succeeded in putting together a productive and efficient in-person congress in Portugal, In October 2021. Despite the situation in Europe, the EUSEM have again succeeded in arranging the upcoming congress in October 2022, an event that many physicians from all over the world are looking forward to attend.

Crise aiguë thyrotoxique : un cas d’une présentation clinique de méningite bactérienne

2022-09-20T06:31:50-04:00

A 31-year-old woman presented to the emergency room for symptoms that promptly evoked thyrotoxicosis in a dysthyroid patient. The evolution was quickly unfavorable despite the initial specific management of thyrotoxicosis. The search for a cause for the acute decompensation of her thyroid pathology has led to the diagnosis of acute bacterial meningitis. The treatment of the meningitis has quickly improved the patient’s condition. This case illustrates the necessity of looking for an acute underlying cause for thyrotoxicosis to not delay the treatment or risk aggravating the case. This clinical case also illustrates the management of thyrotoxicosis, a known but very rare pathology.

Torsion but not torsion! An uncommon case report.

2022-09-10T01:53:33-04:00

In Australia, abdominal and pelvic pain are the single most common presenting complaint to the Emergency department (ED) accounting for 4.4% of all ED visits [1]. Mesenteric ischemia is generally seen in the elderly patients with underlying atherosclerotic or embolic occlusive diseases and it’s uncommon in young adults who don’t typically have anyassociated comorbidities such as cardiac dysrhythmia or coronary artery disease, therefore the diagnosis of mesenteric ischemia particularly in young females, is often delayed or misinterpreted. However, there are few differential diagnoses in this cohort (i.e. ectopic pregnancy, ovarian torsion and ruptured ovarian cysts) which need to be considered and excluded emergently. Here we present an uncommon presentation of sudden onset abdominal pain in a young woman with acute presentation
of bowel ischemia

Hi, is it me you're looking for?

2022-09-10T01:28:34-04:00

Objective
This is an observational study using phone survey data to describe Consultant in Charge (CIC) phone introductions at major Australian hospital Emergency Departments (EDs).
Methods
Twenty-nine principal referral hospitals were surveyed by phone using a predetermined script. The primary outcome measure was the number of receivers who identified their name, role, and department. A ‘success’ was recorded if this was unprompted. A ‘partial success’ was recorded if prompting was required. An ‘inadequate’ outcome was the failure of the first two steps.
Results
Twenty-nine principal referral hospitals were contacted. The primary outcome results were 10.3% [95% CI 3.58, 26.38] success, 48.3% [95% CI 31.4, 65.6] partial success, and 41.4% [95% CI 25.5, 59.3] inadequate. Name, role, and hospital/department were provided without prompting in 86.2% [95% CI 68.3, 96.1], 27.6% [95% CI 12.7, 47.2], and 72.4% [95% CI 52.8, 87.3] respectively.
Conclusions
Major referral centers have potential to improve communication at the front line.