Department Blog

Brian Browne, MD, recently presented testimony to the United States Sentencing Commission during a hearing on fentanyl, fentanyl analogs, and synthetic cannabinoids. He described a growing trend in the illicit drug trade, the addition of fentanyl to heroin packaging by “street pharmacists,” and its impact on unsuspecting users and on ambulance crews and emergency departments as they respond to overdoses. The commission, an independent agency within the judicial branch of the federal government, provides guidance to courts and assists in the development of crime policies. Zachary Dezman, MD, MS, MS, Assistant Professor, Department of Emergency Medicine, assisted Dr. Browne with the preparation of his testimony and attended the hearing.


Posted 2/19/2018 by Linda Kesselring

Converting an Easy IJ to a Central Line

In a recent letter to the editor, Drs. Mak Moayedi and Michael Winters described the conversion of an Easy IJ into a multi-lumen central venous catheter. Their description can be found in the January issue of The Journal of Emergency Medicine (54:132-133).


Posted 2/17/2018 by Linda Kesselring

Case Report: Hypertension and Dyspnea

Nubia Seyoum, MD, Semhar Tewelde, MD, and Zachary Dezman, MD, MS, MS, published the case report titled “Male with Severe Hypertension and Dyspnea” in the Visual Diagnosis in Emergency Medicine column of the January issue of The Journal of Emergency Medicine (2018;54:e7-38).


Posted 2/15/2018 by Linda Kesselring

Case Report: Woman with Syncopal Episode

Nicole Cimino-Fiallos, MD, Wan-Tsu W. Chang, MD, Laura J. Bontempo, MD, MEd, and Zachary Dezman, MD, MS, MS, published the case report titled “54-Year-Old Female With a Syncopal Episode” in Clinical Practice and Cases in Emergency Medicine (2018;2[1]:1-6).


As a member of the Guideline Development Group of the American Academy of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery, Laura J. Bontempo, MD, MEd, co-authored “Clinical Practice Guideline: Evaluation of the Neck Mass in Adults Executive Summary,” which was published in the September 2017 issue of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (157[3]:355-371). The full text of the guideline is available in a supplement to the same issue (157[2S]:S1-S30). Its primary purpose is to promote the efficient, effective, and accurate diagnostic workup of neck masses to ensure that adults with potentially malignant disease receive prompt diagnosis and intervention to optimize outcomes.


Posted 2/8/2018 by Linda Kesselring

Case Report: Chest Pain in a Woman with LBBB

Amal Mattu, MD, co-authored the case report titled “Chest Pain in a Patient With a Left Bundle Branch Block,” which was published in the ECG of the Month column in the January issue of Annals of Emergency Medicine (2018;71[1]:117-119).


Semar Tewelde, MD, Stanley Liu, MD, and Michael Winters, MD, contributed the article titled “Cardiogenic Shock” to the February issue of Cardiology Clinics (“Emergency Cardiology: From ED to CCU”).


Posted 2/3/2018 by Linda Kesselring

Case Report: Man Unable to Stand After Fall?

Tejusve Rao, DO, Anthony Roggio, MD, Zachary D.W. Dezman, MD, and Laura J. Bontempo, MD, MEd, published the case report titled “55-Year-Old Male with Bilateral Lower Extremity Weakness” in the November 2017 issue of Clinical Practice and Cases in Emergency Medicine.


Posted 2/1/2018 by Linda Kesselring

Cardiology Clinics - Amal Mattu, MD, Guest Editor

Amal Mattu, MD, collaborated with John Field, MD, from Penn State College of Medicine, as guest editors of the February issue of Cardiology Clinics, titled “Emergency Cardiology: From ED to CCU.” Dr. Mattu also coauthored one of the articles in this issue, “Evolving Electrocardiographic Indications for Emergent Reperfusion,” along with Michael Lipinski, MD, PhD, from MedStar Washington Hospital Center, and William J. Brady, MD, from the University of Virginia School of Medicine (36[1]:13-26).


Posted 1/29/2018 by Linda Kesselring

Ethical Approach to Futile Care in the ED

As a member of the Ethics Committee of the American College of Emergency Physicians, Elizabeth Clayborne, MD, MA, co-authored the article titled “Futile Care—An Emergency Medicine Approach: Ethical and Legal Considerations,” which was published in the November issue of Annals of Emergency Medicine (70[5]:707?713). The article takes a compassionate look at futile care in the emergency department and concludes with recommendations for communication and consultation.