Practical articles on the high-stakes procedures, skills and training emergency medicine clinicians need to stay sharp between cases. Learn step-by-step technique, refresh before your next shift, and get tips for fighting skill decay. Then put it into practice with [SimKit’s monthly hands-on training kits →]
Quick Answer Pericardiocentesis is needle drainage of fluid from the pericardial sac. Its main emergency indication is cardiac tamponade, and echocardiography-guided drainage is now the standard of care. The needle goes in through a subxiphoid, parasternal or apical window, ideally…
Quick Answer A chest tube (tube thoracostomy) is a drain placed through the chest wall into the pleural space to remove air,…
Quick Answer Needle decompression, also called needle thoracostomy, releases trapped air from the pleural space in a suspected tension pneumothorax. It is…
What Is a Cricothyrotomy? A cricothyrotomy is an emergency airway procedure. You make a small incision through the cricothyroid membrane, the soft…
Central line placement is one of the first high-stakes procedures many residents and medical students learn. It is also one of the…
What Is a Lateral Canthotomy? A lateral canthotomy is an emergency procedure that cuts the outer corner of the eyelid to relieve…
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