A 38M presents to the ED after getting hit in the face with a treebranch while riding a bike downhill through the woods. The patient has multiple superficial lacerations on his forehead, maxilla, and on the pinna of the ear. No LOC or neurological deficits. CT of the face shows no bony injuries. Tetanus UTD.
Web 2.0 Resources used:
EMProcedures
MedScape Procedures
This guy basically needed his whole face anesthetized. My attending suggested I do a number of blocks, many of which I had never done. I opened my free Medscape App on my iPad and surfed through the various blocks under the anesthesia tab. I use this app for all procedures that I either have never done before or those I need a refresher for. For the various blocks, the app provides good photos of entry points and also gives good nerve distribution maps.
After the shift, I watched the series of videos on EMProcedures given by EM residents at Mt. Sinai. Through video, I learned the blocks I would need to anesthetize the entire face. I booked-marked the site on my iPad and my phone. Now I can pull them up at any time if I want to use video rather than written word and photos.
