In this podcast from the PREMIER conference 2024, Francesca Stedman, a consultant paediatric surgeon from Southampton Children's Hospital discusses the care of the child who has ingested a button battery.

Button batteries are ubiquitous and come in various types and sizes. There are about 85 different kinds available or in use in the UK alone, found in everything from toys to hearing aids. The most notorious is the CR2032, which is about 20 millimeters in diameter and 3.2 millimeters thick. It contains lithium manganese oxide, and while its small size makes it convenient for electronics, it poses a significant risk if ingested.

The danger with button batteries lies in their potential to cause severe injuries when lodged in the esophagus. They can cause necrosis, which is essentially tissue death, due to a strong alkaline substance produced by the battery. This substance acts like a potent oven cleaner, rapidly causing damage. The esophagus has three natural narrowing points where these batteries often get stuck, increasing the likelihood of injury. The situation becomes critical very quickly, often within two hours of ingestion.

One of the most concerning aspects of these incidents is that button battery ingestions are rarely witnessed. Children might present with vague symptoms like drooling, difficulty swallowing, or even just being generally unwell. These can easily be mistaken for other common illnesses, leading to delays in diagnosis. In one particularly harrowing case, a child presented multiple times with symptoms of a respiratory infection, only for an x-ray to reveal a button battery lodged in the esophagus. By then, the damage was extensive.

When ingestion is suspected, immediate action is crucial. Getting a chest x-ray is the first step, and if necessary, a lateral x-ray can confirm the presence of a button battery by revealing a characteristic double rim or halo sign. Pre-hospital measures can include giving honey or jam, depending on the child’s age, to help mitigate the damage. However, these should never delay getting the child to the hospital.

Once at the hospital, the primary goal is to remove the battery as quickly as possible to prevent further injury. Depending on the location of the battery and available specialists, either ENT surgeons or paediatric surgeons may perform the removal. Post-removal care involves monitoring for complications like perforations or fistulas, which can develop days or even weeks later. In severe cases, these injuries can lead to life-threatening conditions, such as aorto-esophageal fistulas, which require immediate surgical intervention.

In summary, button battery ingestion is a serious and often underappreciated risk. Even in homes where precautions are taken, accidents can happen. The key is quick recognition and action. As parents and caregivers, we need to be vigilant about keeping these small, dangerous objects out of children's reach. And if an accident does occur, immediate medical attention is essential to minimize the risk of serious injury.

More details are available on the blogpost here.

In this St. Emlyn's podcast, Rick Body and Greg Yates, continue our exploration of diagnostic test accuracy, shifting our focus to positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV). These concepts are vital for anyone preparing for exams or looking to enhance their application of diagnostic tests in clinical practice. While our last podcast discussion centred on sensitivity and specificity, PPV and NPV offer a different, arguably more clinically practical perspective on interpreting test results.

Positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) are essential tools for understanding the effectiveness of diagnostic tests. PPV helps us determine the likelihood that a patient with a positive test result actually has the condition, whereas NPV helps us gauge the probability that a patient with a negative test result does not have the disease. These values are crucial for making informed clinical decisions, particularly when considering the prevalence of a condition in the population. Today, we’ll delve into these concepts, their practical applications, and why it's important to consider both PPV and NPV alongside sensitivity and specificity.

You can find more about this on the St Emlyn's Blog and please don't forget to like and subscribe.

In today's episode, taken from live recordings at PREMIER 2024, we dive into an increasingly common treatment for type 1 diabetes: hybrid closed loop insulin pumps. We'll begin with a brief overview of traditional insulin pumps and explain how hybrid closed loops are different. The core of our discussion will be centered around three case studies, illustrating potential scenarios you might encounter in a pediatric emergency department and how to manage them effectively.

With NICE's recent technology appraisal advocating for universal access to hybrid closed loop systems for all type 1 diabetes patients, it's crucial to understand these devices. Over the next few years, you'll likely encounter these systems frequently. We'll cover the essentials of how these pumps work, their benefits, and potential issues that might arise, such as connectivity problems, cannula issues, and handling intercurrent illnesses.

Join us as we explore the revolutionary impact of hybrid closed-loop systems, which offer better glucose control and significantly improve the quality of life for those with type 1 diabetes.

Dr Nicola Trevelyan has been the Clinical Lead for the Paediatric Diabetes Service in Southampton for the last 20 years. During this time, she has seen huge changes in the management of CYP with diabetes. She has been involved in several large multicentre trials for paediatric diabetes, helping to better our understanding of how best to use new technologies in diabetes management in children and move forward access to new treatment technologies. She was one of the founding committee members for the Assoc of Children's Diabetes Clinicians (ACDC) in 2006 and has been on working parties for BSPED helping evidence base and re-write the national DKA guidelines in 2020 and for the National Paediatric Diabetes Audit. For the last 4 years, she has been on the Clinical Advisory Group for the RCPCH Quality Improvement Programme for Paediatric Diabetes.

It was a huge pleasure to sit down with Steve Smith, a name synonymous with ECG expertise. Steve, renowned worldwide for his influential ECG blog, has been a pivotal figure in advancing our understanding of ECGs. Many of us have honed our ECG skills thanks to Steve’s insights. I had the opportunity to meet Steve about a decade ago at one of the SMACC conferences. Today, we delve into the fascinating world of occlusive myocardial infarction (OMI) and its comparison to STEMI (ST-elevation myocardial infarction), and explore the promising future of artificial intelligence in ECG interpretation.

A comprehensive blog post with references is available here

Eating disorders are a critical health concern that tragically lead to numerous deaths, especially among young women during their transition age. Anorexia nervosa, in particular, is the most deadly psychiatric condition with a 10% lifetime mortality risk. Recent coroner reports highlight significant medical failings and a dire lack of knowledge among healthcare providers. Given the 90% increase in eating disorder admissions over the last five years, this issue demands urgent attention.

In this podcast Anna Kyle, a consultant paediatrician, covers all you need to know when looking after a young person or young adult with an eating disorder in the Emergency Department.

Comprehensive notes can be found here

Welcome to the St Emlyn's Monthly Podcast, your go-to source for the latest insights, developments, and discussions in emergency medicine and critical care. Each month, Simon and Iain will bring you in-depth analysis, evidence-based practices, and practical advice to enhance your clinical practice and professional development.

In this round-up of May 2024, we talk about a wide range of issues relating to emergency medicine, including highlights from the RCEM conference, including the future management of head injury, crowding, RATing and what it takes to be an awesome ED for training. There's also advice on how to be a epic Emergency Physician In Charge, as well as discussion about the use of ChatGPT for medical exams, serratus anterior blocks for rib fractures, whether first pass success matters and the return of measles.

Thank you for joining us, please do like and subscribe wherever you get our podcasts.

The sudden death of anyone is a tragic event, but even more so a child, particularly when it comes completely unexpectedly. We've all seen stories in the papers or even been involved in caring for these young people. In this podcast Harshil Dhutia talks about the common causes fo sudden cardiac death, and gives a roadmap for the investigation of young people with worrying symptoms and ongoing care for their families.

There are more details in the comprehensive post on the St Emlyn's blog site

This podcast was recorded live at the Hope Church in Winchester as part of the PREMIER conference. We are grateful to the organising team for hosting us and allowing us to use the audio. The PIER and PREMIER websites are full of amazing resources for anyone working in Paediatric Emergency Medicine and we recommend them highly.

Harshil Dhutia is a consultant cardiologist at Glenfield Hospital, University Hospitals of Leicester the lead for inerited cardiac conditions service in the region, providing specialist care for patients with genetic heart diseases and their family members. He is a International Board of Heart Rhythm Examiners certified heart rhythm specialist for all aspects of cardiac device implantation and management including pacemakers, defibrillators and cardiac resynchronisation therapy. He is an expert in sports cardiology and has extensive clinical and research interests in the management of competitive and recreational athletes with cardiovascular disease. He is the medical lead for the Joe Humphries Memorial Trust, a Leicestershire based charity that raises awareness of sudden cardiac death in young people and provides cardiovascular resuscitation and AED training in schools, sports clubs and to members of the community.

Welcome to St Emlyn's Monthly Round Up Podcast, your go-to source for the latest insights, developments, and discussions in emergency medicine and critical care. Each month, Iain and Simon bring you in-depth analysis, evidence-based practices, and practical advice to enhance your clinical practice and professional development.

You can find an in-depth set of shownotes on St Emlyn's. Please do also like and subscribe, wherever you get your podcasts.

This month's content includes...

Premier Conference - 11th-12th June 2024, Winchester

Tactical Trauma 24 - 7th-9th October, Sundsvall, Sweden

RCEM Annual Scientific Conference