What is septic arthritis? Septic arthritis (or infectious arthritis) is the infection of the joints caused by bacteria or viruses. This results in the inflammation of the synovial fluid that surrounds and lubricates the joints. Normally, the synovial fluid is free from microbes, but in septic arthritis, there may be a presence of microbes. Septic …

What is an eucapnic hyperventilation (EVH) test? Eucapnic voluntary hyperventilation (EVH) is a provocative test to diagnose exercise-induced airway narrowing (exercise-induced bronchospasm). Which individuals require eucapnic hyperventilation (EVH) test? Eucapnic voluntary hyperventilation (EVH) is usually done for below individuals: Occupations in which asthma needs to be excluded, such as divers and army personnel In professional athletes to prove that they …

What is a tube thoracostomy? In a tube thoracostomy (chest drainage), pleural fluid, air, blood, and pus are removed from the pleural cavity. A tube thoracostomy, also known as open chest drainage, is a surgical procedure to drain the collection of pleural fluid, air, blood, or pus from your pleural cavity through a tube inserted in your chest. The pleural …

What is rapid sequence intubation (RSI)? Rapid sequence intubation (RSI) is the administration of a strong anesthetic agent followed by a rapidly acting paralytic agent (all within one minute) to make the patient unconscious. It is performed when the patient may not be fasting and is therefore at a high risk of aspiration (entry of gastric contents into the airways).  …

What does a narcoleptic attack feel like? Narcolepsy is a neurological sleep disorder that affects your ability to get good quality sleep. Because of the condition, you will feel excessively sleepy or tired during the daytime even with a full night’s sleep.  If you suffer from narcolepsy, you may experience attacks in which you can fall asleep in the middle …

The insomnia causes may differ according to the type of Insomnia. The five types of insomnia are as follows: Acute insomnia  Chronic insomnia  Onset insomnia Maintenance insomnia  Behavioral insomnia of childhood What is insomnia? Insomnia is defined as repeated difficulty with sleep initiation, maintenance, consolidation, or quality that occurs despite adequate time and opportunity for sleep, and that results in …

What is internal fixation? Internal fixation involves setting and stabilizing the fractured bones by cutting open the skin. The bones are realigned to their normal position. Internal fixation uses special implants such as plates, screws, nails, and wires, which hold together the corrected bones. The advantages of internal fixation are as follows: Shorter hospital stay Allows the patients to return …

What is ventilator management? Intubation is used when a patient cannot breathe on their own and may be used in the emergency room (ER) or during surgery. Intubation is a procedure performed when patients are unable to breathe themselves. It may be performed as a life-saving procedure in the emergency room (ER) or during the surgery when patients are under …

What is surgical airway management? Surgical airway management involves the creation of an airway using surgical techniques. Surgical airway management is often performed  In unstable patients In case of stable patients who cannot be intubated or ventilated What are the most common surgical airway techniques? The four distinct but related most common surgical airway techniques include the following: Open cricothyroidotomy …

A lumbar puncture is also called a spinal tap, spinal puncture, thecal puncture, or rachiocentesis. A lumbar puncture is usually not painful, as a patient is first given a local anesthetic. Most patients feel nothing except for the mild sting of the local anesthetic needle. It is possible to feel a pressure sensation as the needle goes in. The procedure is …