September 21, 2026 – September 27, 2026
Weekly Roundup
14 resources from 6 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 · 6 featured sources
Ep 298 - Traumatic Cardiac Arrest: Rethinking Resuscitative Thoracotomy with Laura Kocierz at Trauma 2030
In this St Emlyn's podcast recorded at Trauma 2030, London's Air Ambulance consultant Laura Kocierz discusses using wound location and ECG rhythm to guide resuscitative thoracotomy decisions in traumatic cardiac arrest. London's Air Ambulance data suggest penetrating injuries within the cardiac box or epigastrium carry over a 30% likelihood of tamponade, and ECG rhythm may serve as a surrogate for arrest duration when reported times are unreliable; thoracotomy is not indicated for exsanguination.
Pediatric Pneumonia Without Routine Chest X-Rays: How Much Weight Should We Give the Lung Exam?
A PECARN PedCAPS reliability analysis (JAMA Network Open, 2026) found that no individual physical examination finding met a prespecified reliability threshold (κ lower bound ≥0.40) when two clinicians independently examined 252 children with radiograph-confirmed CAP. Crackles, rhonchi, and decreased breath sounds showed particularly poor agreement, suggesting a single auscultatory finding should not drive pneumonia diagnosis or imaging decisions in children.
STI Cheat Sheet – 2026 Update
This 2026 PHAC-based cheat sheet covers ED diagnosis and treatment of common STIs and syndromes—including herpes, syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, LGV, proctitis, PID, and epididymitis—emphasizing a syndrome-first, exposure-site-driven testing approach and noting that a negative urine NAAT does not exclude pharyngeal or rectal infection, and negative GC/CT does not exclude PID.
TTL tips 20: Significant Pelvic Fracture management
This trauma team leader tip highlights that significant pelvic fractures carry life-threatening haemorrhage risk requiring early multidisciplinary input. The key teaching point is that delayed or absent decision-making is often the worst outcome—resuscitation must run in parallel with bleeding control, and the TTL's role is facilitating specialist consensus on sequencing of interventional radiology, surgical control, or external fixation.
Trick of the Trade: A Fast Exit Strategy for the TACO Method in Heat Stroke Resuscitation
This "Trick of the Trade" describes a gravity-assisted exit strategy for the TACO (Tarp-Assisted Cooling with Oscillation) heat-stroke cooling method: once core temperature reaches 102°F, tilting the bed foot-down and cutting the body bag allows rapid drainage of ice-water slurry into a trash bin, reportedly drying one patient in under two minutes without overshoot hypothermia.
Low Risk + Short Obs = Faster Discharge of Pediatric Anaphylaxis
In this study in Pediatrics, pediatric patients meeting low-risk anaphylaxis criteria who underwent a shortened observation protocol were discharged over an hour earlier than controls, with no adverse events, missed biphasic reactions, or return ED visits; however, the limited source content prevents assessment of study design, sample size, or key limitations.
LA Peds Ready Podcast: Special Pathogens – Part 2
This LA Peds Ready podcast episode walks through a case of a critically ill 6-month-old with suspected H5N1 avian influenza, emphasizing that standard influenza A PCR panels may falsely reassure clinicians—subtype testing or public health referral is needed to distinguish H5N1 from seasonal flu. Key teaching points include early N95/CAPR use, exposure history (sick poultry, raw milk), and initiating oseltamivir prophylaxis for exposed staff within 48 hours per current public health guidelines.
Is Syncope or Pre-Syncope Worth Hospitalization?
In this secondary analysis of adults ≥40 years old presenting to the ED with syncope or pre-syncope without a serious diagnosis identified at the visit, 5.9% experienced a serious adverse outcome within 30 days, suggesting a meaningful residual risk even after a reassuring ED workup.
Serial Exams = Less CT in Pediatric Abdominal Trauma
In children with low-to-moderate-risk blunt abdominal trauma, a period of ED observation was associated with less frequent abdominal CT use without missing injuries requiring acute intervention, according to this Ann Emerg Med study. The partial source limits assessment of study design, population size, and key limitations.
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.