Spontaneous Pneumothorax and Pneumomediastinum Susan M. Dunmire Spontaneous pneumothorax and pneumomediastinum are sometimes challenging, yet critical to diagnose and treat for patients presenting in the emergency department (ED). These entities…

Epistaxis Trevor J. Lewis Epistaxis is a frequent problem encountered by the emergency physician, accounting for approximately 1 in 200 emergency department (ED) visits in the United States (1). The…

Hemoptysis Sanjay Bhatt Coughing up blood is a significant cause of concern to both the provider and patient. While a common symptom in adults, it is an uncommon presentation in…

Acute Compartment Syndrome Andrew D. Perron, Christopher T. Bowe, and Christine Irish Acute compartment syndrome is a serious life- and limb-threate-ning complication of extremity trauma. Fractures, crush injuries, burns, and…

Asthma Lauren M. Smith Asthma is characterized by increased airway responsiveness to various stimuli. Asthma is caused by a variety of processes including bronchoconstriction, widespread bronchial wall edema, and increased…

Headache Jonathan A. Edlow CLINICAL PRESENTATION Headache is the reason for approximately 2% of all emergency department (ED) visits (1). This large number of patients can be divided into two…

Cardiopulmonary Arrest Christopher Ross and Theresa M. Schwab Sudden cardiopulmonary arrest (SCA) and sudden cardiac death (SCD) typically result due to ventricular dysrhythmias resulting in hemodynamic collapse due to the…

Sinusitis and Rhinitis Hagop M. Afarian Upper respiratory complaints, including sinusitis, are among the most common disorders encountered by the emergency physician. It is estimated that 14% of the US…

Weakness Andy Jagoda Patients presenting to the emergency department (ED) with a complaint of weakness pose a challenge because the complaint is often nonspecific and the differential diagnosis is large….

Corneal Abrasion and Foreign Bodies Lori A. Weichenthal Corneal abrasions and foreign bodies are among the most frequent ocular conditions that present to the emergency department (ED). It is estimated…