Is it reasonable emergency department doctor must activate the whole trauma team if they meet the patients who fell above 20 feet?

Objective@#Many trauma centers use their own criteria for major trauma patients, and these criteria are organized according to physiological causes and their related mechanisms. Mechanism related criteria have high sensitivity but low specificity. We confirmed 20 feet as a single factor for trauma team activation criteria. @*Methods@#This study was retrospectively conducted in the Pusan National University Hospital trauma center, which is a level 1 trauma center in Busan. Patients were grouped as group 1, a fall from less than 20 feet; and group 2, a fall from more than 20 feet. We compare the two groups of prognostic factors using logistic regression analysis. @*Results@#The relationship between the height of the fall and the patient’s prognosis showed a positive relationship on the logistic regression analysis. Yet the cut-off value of a 20 foot height showed poor predictive power for the patient’s prognosis. @*Conclusion@#In conclusion, as trauma team activation criteria, a 20 foot height seems to be a reasonable aspect of patients’ clinical prognosis between above 20 feet and below 20 feet. Yet it seems to be controversial as a cut-off value. Thus, more studies will be needed to identify a specific height for trauma team activation.

Extension of a Scapular Fracture into the Glenoid Cavity after Low-voltage Electric Shock

We, herein, present a patient with no history of trauma who developed shoulder pain after undergoing low-voltage electric shock. According to the computed tomography, there was a multi-segmental fracture that extended into the glenoid cavity of the left scapula. A good outcome was obtained after open reduction and internal fixation. Emergency physicians should be aware of the possibility of scapular fracture extending into the glenoid cavity, especially in patients with shoulder pain after electrical injury.

A Case of Arisaematis Rhizoma Poisoning

Due to increasing participation in outdoor activities, many people visit the emergency room for various symptoms after mistaking poisonous plants for medicinal herbs. The toxicity of Arisaematis rhizome is due to its content of calcium oxalate, which causes painful oropharyngeal edema, hypersalivation, aphonia, oral ulceration, esophageal erosion, and hypocalcemia. We report a case of accidental poisoning after chewing and spitting of the root of A. rhizome, resulting in focal symptoms-such as oral pain, swelling and drooling-that required only conservative management. A 54-year-old male and his 58-year-old wife developed oral pain, swelling and drooling after accidentally chewing and spitting the root of the A. rhizome plant as a medicinal herb. Their symptoms started immediately after chewing on and spitting out the root of A. rhizome, and they were unable to speak due to oral pain, swelling, and hypersalivation on arrival at the emergency department. They were treated with antihistamines and corticosteroids and painkillers. A few hours after treatment, they had improved and were discharged from the hospital.