August 24, 2026 – August 30, 2026
Weekly Roundup
20 resources from 8 sources were added to the FOAM Cortex library this week and are now indexed. Explore a selection below, with links to the original educators.
9 highlights · 7 featured sources
Journal Feed Weekly Wrap-Up
This multi-topic roundup covers ED/ICU procedural and pharmacologic questions; notably, a retrospective study found rocuronium doses >1.2 mg/kg were associated with improved first-pass intubation success but no difference in downstream clinical outcomes.
Loosen Up – Tourniquet Conversion Works for Most Patients
The CONVERT study provides observational data on ED tourniquet conversion, offering empirical support for its safety in civilian patients—an area previously reliant on expert opinion and small studies. Full findings are paywalled.
JC: Manual pressure augmentation during cardiac arrest: another lesson in physiology versus outcome
In this prematurely terminated cluster-RCT (AUGMENT-VA, n=560), manual pressure augmentation during defibrillation significantly reduced transthoracic impedance but was not associated with improved survival to hospital discharge (39.8% vs 39.9%), with low protocol compliance (23.6%) limiting interpretation.
The 3: What You Need to Know About “Dry Drowning”
Per this article, "dry drowning" is not a medically accepted diagnosis; a child fully asymptomatic after swimming will not drown days later. Concerning symptoms—persistent cough, labored breathing, altered behavior—typically appear within eight hours and warrant prompt evaluation.
Saline or Balanced Fluids? What PRoMPT BOLUS Means for Pediatric Sepsis
The PRoMPT BOLUS RCT (n=9,041 children, 47 EDs) found no significant difference in major adverse kidney events at 30 days between balanced crystalloids and 0.9% saline for pediatric septic shock, though the observed event rate was half the anticipated rate, limiting detection of small effects.
The Five Laws of Medical Robotics
A critique of a JAMA Perspective by financially conflicted AI investors argues their case for autonomous AI replacing physicians relies on cherry-picked, methodologically flawed studies—including a fabricated cross-paper comparison—while systematically discounting unfavorable evidence.
Sickle Cell Acute Pain Episodes: Lessons Learned from the Prematurely Halted PECARN STArT Trial
The PECARN STArT RCT found IV arginine did not shorten time to crisis resolution versus placebo in 274 pediatric sickle cell patients, and was halted early for futility. Notably, median crisis-resolution time varied by up to 61 hours across the 10 study hospitals—more than three times the hypothesized treatment effect.
How to Manage Prolonged Tourniquet Times
A J Trauma Acute Care Surg review summarizes management of prolonged tourniquet use in extremity trauma, a growing concern given wider adoption and austere settings. Full content was unavailable, limiting detail.
A Field Guide to Evidence Based Medicine – Episode 2 – Chloride Continued…
Drs. Spiegel and Hoffman review BaSICS, PLUS, and the BEST-Living IPD meta-analysis (n=34,685), finding no significant mortality or AKI benefit from balanced crystalloids over saline in critically ill patients; the episode uses these trials to illustrate how earlier signals can vanish in larger, more rigorous RCTs.
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.