The Case You are working a shift in the ambulatory zone of your emergency department. Your next patient is a 27 year old female with a chief complaint of “lower extremity injury”. On history, her right knee has been sore for the past 2 days, with swelling and worsening pain since last night, and she is now unable to weight bear on her right leg. She has no recent trauma, is not sexually …
Tiny Tip: The Ottawa Ankle and Foot Rules – To Image or Not to Image
Ankle and foot injuries are common presentations to the Emergency Department, and it can often be difficult to know whether imaging is required. In 1992, Dr. Ian Stiell and his colleagues developed The Ottawa Ankle Rules 12 to facilitate this decision. The Ottawa ankle and foot rules are highly sensitive and widely used as a tool to reduce unnecessary imaging in Emergency Departments.