The Podcasts of the Royal New Zealand College of Urgent Care

In this first episode of Busting Myths with Laura and Dinesh, Dr Laura Hamill and Dr Dinesh Deonarain consider whether spider bites always require antibiotics and the evidence around the need to split plaster casts.  

Check out the papers Laura and Dinesh recommend you read.

 

Isbister GK, Gray MR. White-tail spider bite: a prospective study of 130 definite bites by Lampona species. Med J Aust. 2003 Aug 18;179(4):199-202. doi: 10.5694/j.1326-5377.2003.tb05499.x. PMID: 12914510.

Link to paper

 

Zaino CJ, Patel MR, Arief MS, Pivec R. The effectiveness of bivalving, cast spreading, and webril cutting to reduce cast pressure in a fiberglass short arm cast. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2015 Mar 4;97(5):374-80. doi: 10.2106/JBJS.N.00579. PMID: 25740027.

Abstract

 

Barvelink B, Reijman M, Smidt S, Miranda Afonso P, Verhaar JAN, Colaris JW; CAST study group; CAST study group; van Beek F, Bouwhuis MG, Bruijninckx MMM, Greeven APA, Gosens T, Kok MJ, Kokke MC, Kraan GA, van Lakwijk K, Leijnen M, van Loon M, van Rijssel DA, Schep NWL, Scholtens L, Wijffels MME, Slebioda N, van der Zwaal P, Zwets E. Redisplacement of reduced distal radius fractures in adults: does the type of casting play a role? The CAST study, a multicentre cluster randomized controlled trial. Bone Joint J. 2024 Jul 1;106-B(7):696-704. doi: 10.1302/0301-620X.106B7.BJJ-2024-0014.R1. Erratum in: Bone Joint J. 2024 Sep 1;106-B(9):1032. doi: 10.1302/0301-620X.106B9.BJJ-2024-00050. PMID: 38945541.

Abstract

 

Wik TS, Aurstad AT, Finsen V. Colles' fracture: dorsal splint or complete cast during the first 10 days? Injury. 2009 Apr;40(4):400-4. doi: 10.1016/j.injury.2008.08.044. Epub 2009 Feb 4. PMID: 19195651.

Abstract

 

Bullen M, Kinealy J, Blanchard R, Rodda C, Pivonka P. Comparison of the moulding ability of Plaster of Paris and polyester cast material in the healthy adult forearm. Injury. 2017 Nov;48(11):2586-2589. doi: 10.1016/j.injury.2017.08.010. Epub 2017 Aug 16. PMID: 28870625.

Abstract

 

If you have any comments or suggestions of myths for their future consideration, email podcast@rnzcuc.org.nz

Always follow your local guidelines and policies.  These discussions are designed to encourage you to engage with the literature.  

 

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Music by Karl Casey @White Bat Audio.

Second Life from the Album White Bat 48 - available at Bandcamp

 

This podcast is intended to assist in ongoing medical education and peer discussion for qualified health professionals.  Please ensure you work within your scope of practice at all times.  For personal medical advice, always consult your usual doctor

There are important ocular side effects related to medications used to treat ADHD.  

Check out the Prescriber Update for September 2026

Check out the Stuff article mentioned

 

www.rnzcuc.org.nz

podcast@rnzcuc.org.nz

https://www.facebook.com/rnzcuc

https://twitter.com/rnzcuc

 

Music licensed from www.premiumbeat.com

Full Grip by Score Squad

 

This podcast is intended to assist in ongoing medical education and peer discussion for qualified health professionals.  Please ensure you work within your scope of practice at all times.  For personal medical advice, always consult your usual doctor

Hand foot and mouth disease is a common viral illness that almost always affects children under 5.  

But, as the world's number one golfer shows, healthy adults can contract it, so do not discount it as a possible diagnosis, if the story fits.  

 

Check out the Dermnet NZ page by Leong and Mahon

 

Read about Scotty Scheffler's HFMD experience.

 

Check out the paper mentioned

Blanco-Alonso S, Mellor-Pita S, Alfageme F, Najera Botella L, Duran-Campo P, Tutor-Ureta P. Temporal Arteritis in a Young Patient. A Clinical Case. Reumatol Clin (Engl Ed). 2021 May;17(5):297-299. English, Spanish. doi: 10.1016/j.reuma.2020.04.010. Epub 2020 May 29. PMID: 32475766.

 

www.rnzcuc.org.nz

podcast@rnzcuc.org.nz

https://www.facebook.com/rnzcuc

https://twitter.com/rnzcuc

 

Music licensed from www.premiumbeat.com

Full Grip by Score Squad

 

This podcast is intended to assist in ongoing medical education and peer discussion for qualified health professionals.  Please ensure you work within your scope of practice at all times.  For personal medical advice, always consult your usual doctor

Smith's fracture of the wrist is the opposite of a Colles fracture and is an important fracture to identify in urgent care.  

Smith was a successor to Colles, and disagreed with Colles' definition of the Colles fracture.  This offers an opportunity to reflect on the way we use opinions in medical practice, how opinions may vary and must be open to change.  

 

Check out the Radiopaedia page

Gaillard F, Stanislavsky A, Smith fracture. Reference article, Radiopaedia.org 

 

If you would like to read Smith's original treatise on fractures, you can find it at this link.   Read from page 130 for the discussions around Colles, and from page 160 for the description of Smith's fracture

 

www.rnzcuc.org.nz

podcast@rnzcuc.org.nz

https://www.facebook.com/rnzcuc

https://twitter.com/rnzcuc

 

Music licensed from www.premiumbeat.com

Full Grip by Score Squad

 

This podcast is intended to assist in ongoing medical education and peer discussion for qualified health professionals.  Please ensure you work within your scope of practice at all times.  For personal medical advice, always consult your usual doctor

We commonly see opioid side effects.  But there are some we may not have been aware of that we should keep in mind in patients who have been taking opioids for more than a month.  

 

Check out the Medsafe Prescriber Update - June 2026

 

www.rnzcuc.org.nz

podcast@rnzcuc.org.nz

https://www.facebook.com/rnzcuc

https://twitter.com/rnzcuc

 

Music licensed from www.premiumbeat.com

Full Grip by Score Squad

 

This podcast is intended to assist in ongoing medical education and peer discussion for qualified health professionals.  Please ensure you work within your scope of practice at all times.  For personal medical advice, always consult your usual doctor