Anesthesia Key

All clothing from a wounded patient should be preserved in a sealed, labelled bag for the attention of the investigating police officers. Gunshot Wounds Airguns:  these compressed air-driven weapons propel…

Inadequately treated small wounds cause much distress for patients, a lot of worry for doctors and a considerable amount of work for lawyers. Assessment of Wounds Certain features of a…

Box 22.1 How to Test Visual Acuity Test each eye separately with patient wearing normal spectacles. Snellen letter chart is 6 m in front of patient (or equivalent distance using a mirror)…

Over 5000 people die from traumatic brain injuries in England and Wales every year and over 1500 patients survive with severe brain damage. Most will have a severely reduced employment…

Suxamethonium may cause a dangerous rise in serum potassium in patients with burns. Give high-concentration oxygen Give nebulised salbutamol for wheezing Estimate arterial blood gases and carboxyhae­moglobin Beware of conventional…

Box 16.1 Causes of Collapse with Abdominal Pain Acute blood loss from the upper gastrointestinal tract (oesophageal varices and peptic ulceration) Perforation of a peptic ulcer, sigmoid diverticulum or the appendix…

In the UK, accidents cause almost 2% of all deaths and account for 7% of total NHS expenditure. The absolute number of accidental deaths is greatest in people aged 65…

Precipitant Delivery In the UK, most pregnant women have planned maternity care and so have made clear arrangements for the delivery of their baby. However, occasionally women arrive at the…

If blunt trauma results in injuries both above and below the trunk (e.g. to the head and femur), then the trunk itself is also likely to be injured. Bruises, clothing…

Foreign body obstruction may initially present as a distressed, very agitated, cyanosed patient – ‘choking’. Cardiorespiratory arrest → p. 150. Choking → p. 196. Respiratory arrest → p. 199. If…