Spotting Bad Science

It's really not too difficult to spot bad science. All so true, even in the world of medical literature and top peer-reviewed journals.
Just follow this easy 12 step guide! Original website here.
Get your regular dose of healthy EBM skepticism from emlitofnote and EM nerd.

STEMI or Pericarditis?

Dr Amal Mattu delivers some great pearls here and it is a must see for trainees -  especially for his checklist on how to discern AMI from pericarditis.



For more of his videos, visit his UMEM website. 

ART: Advanced Resuscitation Training

For those who attended the recent SEMS ASM 2014 pre-conference workshop on ART by Dr Daniel Davis, you would be familiar with the concept. It is not new-fangled resuscitation science or even using state-of-the-art toys to resuscitate. But what it is; is taking a hospital, instituting a cultural /mind-set change, re-thinking the approach to resuscitation / CPR, and commitment to training at all levels. The result is a significant reduction in mortality from all manners of in-hospital cardiac arrests and improved neurological outcomes.
This is probably what OUR hospital needs too. Not new toys. Not fancy stuff. A hospital with a commitment to save lives, where bystander CPR (that means even the hospital porter, ah ma, dietician, pharmacist, HO whatever) is more than 90%. A hospital where code blue teams arrive to consistent high quality CPR already started by the people at scene. We already see some advances and improvement with MET but dare we take the next step?
Here is a sampling of the workshop; it is actually a webinar put up on UCSD’s youtube page last year, but the content is similar. An hour definitely worth listening to.

Webucation 22/4/14

We have just finished a great EM conference here in Singapore and we will bring you the videos and slides in the coming few weeks to months. Stay tuned!

Internet intuition this time comes from the realms of paeds, anaesthetics and some cardio thrown in. Always support the content providers.

  • Drain that kid - Good morsel on how big the drain should be in kids. Don't be cruel indeed!
  • Altitude vs attitude hypoxia - Andy buck delivers a great opinion on the contrast between aviation and EM.
  • Pre-oxing - the Rebel gives us a great summary of pe-ox techniques and its evidence. A must read for every intubator.
  • Sign,sign, everywhere-a-pediatric-vital-sign - A wonderful insight as to whether we're treating kids or "kidding" ourselves. Also a great homage to the metal group Tesla!
  • OPD the leaks! - a new way of handling large air leaks you say?
  • Heartbreak diagnosis - This morsel educates us on the ills and chills of myocarditis. A scary condition in our experience. The few that we have diagnosed (albeit later rather than sooner) have eventuated in poor outcomes and transplant lists. Respect this condition and treat shocked children EARLY!

SEMS ASM Wrap

SEMS ASM just wrapped in Changi General Hospital and it was one for the ages. Karim Brohi, Colin Parker, Dan Davis, Aper Cevik and a host of local talent as well - all who shall be illuminated in our forthcoming video releases for the conference in the spirit of FOAM.

The show-stopper was of course SIMWARS and here's a brief perspective from the Turkish contigent who came.

Those T-waves again...

Dr Amal Mattu goes through a familiar ECG with an old enemy of a diagnosis. In our department we have banned the phrase "non-specific t wave inversions"!



For more of his videos, go to his UMEM website.

Basics of Lung Ultrasound

I gave this talk during our recent WINFOCUS Basic Ultrasound Life Support Course on 3-4 April 2014 at KTPH, Singapore.

In 'Basics of Lung Ultrasound', I hope my lecture is simple and easy to understand for all residents, EM or otherwise.

Here it is, enjoy!



For a more detailed discussion on the topic, read the following review:

SH Ang et al. Lung Ultrasound in the Management of Acute Decompensated Heart Failure. Curr Cardiol Rev, 2012 May 8(2):123-136