Prehospital Management of Upper GI Bleeds: A Guide for EMTs and Paramedics
In emergency medicine, few scenarios are as immediately concerning as arriving on scene to find a patient actively vomiting bright red blood. Upper gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding represents a unique challenge for EMS providers—these patients aren’t trauma victims, yet they’re bleeding like trauma patients. They require both the rapid intervention of trauma care and the thorough assessment of a medical patient. This guide breaks down the essential principles of managing an upper GI bleed in the prehospital setting, where your actions during those critical first minutes can significantly impact patient outcomes.
Resuscitative Endovascular Balloon Occlusion of the Aorta (REBOA)
In the high-stakes world of emergency medicine, innovations continually push the boundaries of what’s possible. One such groundbreaking procedure is Resuscitative Endovascular Balloon Occlusion of the Aorta (REBOA). Dr. Ernest E Moore, who has literally written the book on trauma surgery, teaches us what REBOA is and how it is being used to save lives in critical situations. Another lecture from the Rocky Mountain Trauma and Emergency Medicine Conference.Â