Chad Simpkins, MD

Advanced Practice: Bedside Ultrasound for Improving First-Attempt Lumbar Puncture Success on Infants

Anatomic landmarks followed by a "blind" stick is currently the standard practice for performing bedside lumbar punctures, but with increasing use and ease of ultrasound, could we one day see lumbar punctures follow in the footsteps of central line placement?

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The Myth of Dry Drowning

With summer in full swing now, swimming emergencies are bound to increase. A recent surge in media coverage may have raised many questions about the phenomenon known as “dry drowning." Variations in nomenclature regarding drowning can lead to confusion and imprecise terminology. Check out this post for a quick review:

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Advanced Practice: Bedside Two Point Compression Ultrasound to Rule-In Pulmonary Embolism by Chad Simpkins MD

You evaluate a patient complaining of acute onset of dyspnea with hypotension and hypoxia. You immediately consider the diagnosis of acute massive pulmonary embolism, but despite your best efforts can't get good cardiac windows on bedside ultrasound. Should you administer thrombolytics? Heparin? Send the shocky patient for a CT? Today Dr. Simpkins goes through the steps to perform 2-point compression ultrasound of the lower extremity to evaluate for DVT, an easy and rapid bedside test that may allow for indrect but more rapid diagnosis of acute, massive pulmonary embolism.

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