August 10, 2026 – August 16, 2026
Weekly Roundup
19 resources from 10 sources were added to the FOAM Cortex library this week and are now indexed. Explore a selection below, with links to the original educators.
10 highlights · 8 featured sources
Scanning School - TEE Advanced: Cardiac Arrest Evaluation
This educational guide covers intra-arrest TEE, noting that emergency physicians obtained interpretable images ~98% of the time versus 75–80% with TTE, and that standard AHA chest-compression positioning compressed the LVOT or aorta rather than the LV in up to 80% of patients with cardiac disease.
Can YEARS Criteria Be Applied to Patients with Cancer?
The Hydra Study RCT found the YEARS algorithm was non-inferior to immediate CTPA for diagnosing suspected PE in patients with active cancer, suggesting it may safely guide imaging decisions in this population.
Communication Series – Listening.
A St Emlyn's communication series opener argues that quality listening is a learnable clinical skill, with poor listening linked to patient harm and team breakdown. Covey's five listening levels are offered as a self-reflection framework, with empathic listening prioritised for clinical encounters.
Ep 295 - PE, Whole Blood, HEMS and Smarter CPR (March 2026 Round Up)
This St Emlyn's roundup covers several topics; a Gaza case series of 25 trauma patients found ultrasound-guided pericardiocentesis with TXA instillation was associated with survival in 24 cases, challenging traditional teaching, though most injuries were shrapnel wounds and patient selection likely played a role.
Intubation of the critically ill patient
This comprehensive guide covers RSI in critically ill patients; a key finding is that the PREOXI trial showed BiPAP preoxygenation reduced desaturation during emergency intubation across a broad ICU population, supporting its routine use regardless of baseline oxygenation.
The Case of the Redacted Ledger
The REMAP-CAP adaptive platform RCT found oseltamivir was associated with higher 90-day mortality versus no antiviral in critically ill influenza patients (adjusted OR ~2.1), crossing the prespecified inferiority threshold; however, wide credible intervals mean the magnitude of harm remains uncertain.
ToxCard: Diphenhydramine Toxicity
This ToxCard covers diphenhydramine overdose, noting that QRS widening >100 ms—reflecting sodium-channel blockade—is a key marker of severe toxicity and an indication for IV sodium bicarbonate; physostigmine should be avoided when QRS widening or seizures are present due to cardiac-instability risk.
Should we shock PEA/asystole? : A multicenter prospective study on Echo Visualization of Occult Ventricular Fibrillation in Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest
In this multicenter prospective study (n=811 OHCA), 5.3% of patients had occult ventricular fibrillation on bedside echo despite a non-shockable ECG rhythm; survival to discharge was similar to overt ECG-VF, though expert reviewers—not bedside clinicians—interpreted images, limiting generalizability.
Scanning School - TEE Basics: The Controls and the Views
This educational guide covers resuscitative TEE probe controls and four standard views (mid-esophageal 4-chamber, long axis, bicaval, transgastric short axis). One study found TTE use during cardiac arrest was associated with prolonged CPR pauses, supporting TEE as an alternative.
Which Is Better? Amiodarone vs. Lidocaine for OHCA
A target trial emulation study found no statistically significant difference in survival or favorable neurologic outcome between lidocaine and amiodarone for refractory shockable out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, though the observational design limits causal conclusions.
New to the library does not necessarily mean newly published. This roundup features public resources added during the week and successfully indexed by the time the issue was prepared. Follow the links to read or listen at the original source.