Project description:Point of care ultrasound (POCUS) use in the emergency department is associated with improved patient outcomes and increased patient satisfaction. When used for procedural guidance, it has been shown to increase first pass success and decrease complications. As of 2012, ultrasound has been identified as a core skill required for graduating emergency medicine (EM) residents. Despite this, only a minority of EM faculty who trained prior to 2008 are credentialed in POCUS. Half of all EM training programs in the United States have less than 50% of their faculty credentialed to perform and teach POCUS to learners. As the use of POCUS continues to grow in medicine, it is especially important to have a pathway for faculty to attain competence and become credentialed in POCUS. The goal of this paper was to outline an implementation process of a curriculum designed to credential EM faculty in POCUS.
Project description:Paget-Schroetter Syndrome, or effort thrombosis, is a relatively rare disorder. It refers to axillary-subclavian vein thrombosis (ASVT) that is associated with strenuous and repetitive activity of the upper extremities 1. Anatomical abnormalities at the thoracic outlet and repetitive trauma to the endothelium of the subclavian vein are key factors in its initiation and progression. Doppler ultrasonography is the preferred initial test, but contrast venography is the gold standard for diagnosis 1, 2. Early diagnosis coupled with a multimodal treatment strategy is crucial for optimal outcomes. We present a case of a 21-year-old male in which point of care ultrasound (POCUS) expedited the diagnosis and subsequent early treatment of right subclavian vein thrombosis. He presented to our Emergency Department with acute swelling, pain and erythema of his right upper limb. He was promptly diagnosed to have thrombotic occlusion of the right subclavian vein using POCUS in our Emergency Department.
Project description:BackgroundIn general, transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) is the first diagnostic test used for patients with bacteremia or candidemia and clinical signs of Infective Endocarditis (IE). Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) may be used in addition to physical examination for the detection of structural heart disease and valve abnormalities.ObjectiveTo determine the diagnostic accuracy of POCUS for the detection of signs suggestive of IE, including vegetation, valvular regurgitation, structural heart disease, hepatomegaly, splenomegaly and septic embolisms, in patients with bacteremia or candidemia.DesignObservational, cross-sectional, multicenter study using convenience sampling.SettingSix Spanish academic hospitals.PatientsAdult patients with bacteremia or candidemia between 1 February 2018 and 31 December 2020.MeasurementsThe reference test, to evaluate vegetation, valvular regurgitation and structural heart disease, was transesophageal echocardiography (TEE). For patients who did not undergo TEE, transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) was considered the reference test. POCUS was performed by internists, while conventional echocardiography procedures were performed by cardiologists.ResultsIn 258 patients, for the detection of valvular vegetation, POCUS had sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of 77%, 94%, 82% and 92%, respectively. For valvular regurgitation (more than mild), sensitivity was ≥76% and specificity ≥85%. Sensitivity values for the detection of hepatomegaly and splenomegaly were 92% and 92%, respectively, while those for specificity were 96% and 98%.ConclusionPOCUS could be a valuable tool, as a complement to physical examination, at the hospital bedside for patients with bacteremia or candidemia, helping to identify signs suggestive of IE.
Project description:BackgroundPOCUS is a growing field in medical education, and an imaging modality ideal for children given the lack of ionizing radiation, ease of use, and good tolerability. A 2019 literature review revealed that no US pediatric residency programs integrated obligatory POCUS curricula. Our objective was to provide a formalized POCUS curriculum over multiple years, and to retrospectively assess improvement in resident skills and comfort.MethodsDuring intern year, pediatric residents received didactics and hands-on scanning opportunities in basic POCUS applications. Their evaluation tools included pre- and post-surveys and tests, and a final performance exam. In the second and third years of residency, all participants were required to complete 8 hours per year of POCUS content review and additional hands-on training. An optional third-year curriculum was offered to interested residents as career-focused education elective time.ResultsOur curriculum introduced POCUS topics such as basic and advanced cardiac, lung, skin/soft tissues and procedural based ultrasound to all pediatric residents. Among first-year residents, application-specific results showed POCUS comfort level improved by 61-90%. Completed evaluations demonstrated improvement in their ability to recognize and interpret POCUS images. Second- and third-year residents reported educational effectiveness that was rated 3.9 on a 4-point Likert scale. Four third-year residents took part in the optional POCUS elective, and all reported a change in their practice with increased POCUS incorporation.ConclusionsOur longitudinal pediatric residency POCUS curriculum is feasible to integrate into residency training and exhibits early success.
Project description:A 68-year-old man presented with one week of vague abdominal symptoms and was found to have new ascites and pulmonary embolism for which a heparin drip was initiated. We report a case diagnosing hemoperitoneum with point of care ultrasound (POCUS). Identifying hemoperitoneum can be challenging, but POCUS can be a useful tool for its diagnosis. There is limited literature on the sonographic characteristics of hemoperitoneum. Echogenicity of fluid is not a reliable distinguisher between exudative and transudative effusions. The diagnosis of hemoperitoneum in this case was suggested by the progression of POCUS findings over time rather than sonographic characteristics by themselves.
Project description:PurposeTo undertake a global assessment of existing ultrasound practices, barriers to access, point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) training pathways, and the perceived clinical utility of POCUS in Child Surgery.MethodsAn electronic survey was disseminated via the GICS (Global Initiative of Children's Surgery) network. 247 anonymized responses from 48 countries were collated. 71.3% (176/247) worked in child surgery.ResultsUltrasound was critical to practice with 84% (147/176) of requesting one daily or multiple times per week. Only 10% (17/176) could access emergency ultrasound < 1 h from request. The main barrier was a lack of trained personnel. HIC surgeons were more likely to have ultrasound training (24/29; 82.8%) compared with LMICs (74/147; 50.3%) (p = .001319; CI 95%). Self-perceived POCUS competence was associated with regularity of POCUS use (p < 0.001; CI 95%). Those who already practice POCUS most commonly use it for trauma, intussusception, and ultrasound-guided procedures. Majority (90%; 159/176) of child surgeons would attend formal POCUS training if available.ConclusionsUltrasound is critically important in children's surgery globally, however, many surgeons experience barriers to timely access. There is a strong interest in learning POCUS for relevant pediatric surgical applications. Further research is needed to evaluate the best methods of training, accreditation, and governance.
Project description:IntroductionThere is limited access to life-saving antenatal ultrasound in rural and low-resource settings largely due to shortages in skilled staff. Studies have shown healthcare practitioners can be upskilled in PoCUS through focused training, offering a viable solution to this deficit. However, standards for training and competency assessment are unclear and regulation surrounding practice is lacking. We aimed to review published literature examining antenatal PoCUS training programs, comparing teaching approaches and study methodologies.MethodsA search of electronic databases EMBASE, MEDLINE and Google Scholar was conducted. Original research articles evaluating antenatal PoCUS training of healthcare professionals worldwide were identified for analysis. Articles with limited detail on the PoCUS training intervention and those describing comprehensive diagnostic training programs were excluded. Evaluations were compared against the Kirkpatrick Evaluation Framework (KEF).ResultsTwenty-seven studies were included from an initial search result of 484 articles. There was considerable heterogeneity between the PoCUS training programs described. Course duration ranged from 3 hours to 2 years, with 11 of the 27 studies delivering obstetric-exclusive content. 44% trained multidisciplinary groups of health professionals. Long-term follow-up training and skills assessments were lacking in over half of the reviewed studies. Study quality and reporting detail varied, but overall beneficial outcomes were reported with 3/4s of the studies reaching upper KEF levels 3 and 4.ConclusionPoCUS performed by upskilled healthcare professionals offers an attractive solution to the problem of inequitable access to antenatal ultrasound. A review of available literature highlighted a paucity of comparable high-quality studies needed to establish a stronger evidence base for antenatal PoCUS, and a need to standardise training and competency assessment. This review may inform educators, researchers and policy-makers on existing training formats and methodologies to assist in establishing best practice antenatal PoCUS training methods for safe service delivery by remote healthcare professionals.
Project description:The POCUS-CA (Point-of-care ultrasound in cardiac arrest) is a diagnostic tool in the Intensive Care Unit and Emergency Department setting. The literature indicates that in the patient in a cardiorespiratory arrest it can provide information of the etiology of the arrest in patients with non-defibrillable rhythms, assess the quality of compressions during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), and define prognosis of survival according to specific findings and, thus, assist the clinician in decision-making during resuscitation. This narrative review of the literature aims to expose the usefulness of ultrasound in the setting of cardiorespiratory arrest as a tool that allows making a rapid diagnosis and making decisions about reversible causes of this entity. More studies are needed to support the evidence to make ultrasound part of the resuscitation algorithms. Teamwork during cardiopulmonary resuscitation and the inclusion of ultrasound in a multidisciplinary approach is important to achieve a favorable clinical outcome.
Project description:There is increasing recognition that point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS), performed by the clinician at the bedside, can be a natural extension of the clinical examination-the modern abdominal "stethoscope" and provides an opportunity to expedite the care pathway for patients with acute gallbladder disease. The primary aims of this study were to benchmark the accuracy of surgeon-performed POCUS in suspected acute gallbladder disease against standard radiology or pathology reports and to compare time to POCUS diagnosis with time to definitive imaging. This prospective single-arm observational cohort study was conducted in four hospitals in Ireland, Italy, and Portugal to assess the accuracy of POCUS against standard radiology in patients with suspected acute biliary disease (ClinicalTrials.govIdentifier: NCT02682368). The findings of surgeon-performed POCUS were compared with those on definitive imaging or surgery. Of 100 patients recruited, 89 were suitable for comparative analysis, comparing POCUS with radiological findings in 84 patients and with surgical/histological findings in five. The overall global accuracy of POCUS was 88.7% (95% CI, 80.3-94.4%), with a sensitivity of 94.7% (95% CI, 85.3-98.9%), a specificity of 78.1% (95% CI, 60.03-90.7%), a positive likelihood ratio (LR+) of 4.33 and negative likelihood ratio (LR) of 0.07. The mean time from POCUS to the final radiological report was 11.9 h (range 0.06-54.9). In five patients admitted directly to surgery, the mean time between POCUS and incision was 2.30 h (range 1.5-5), which was significantly shorter than the mean time to formal radiology report. Sixteen patients were discharged from the emergency department, of whom nine did not need follow-up. Our study is one of the very few to demonstrate a high concordance between surgeon-performed POCUS of patients without a priori radiologic diagnosis of gallstone disease and shows that the expedited diagnosis afforded by POCUS can be reliably leveraged to deliver earlier definitive care for patients with acute gallbladder pathology, as the general surgeon skilled in POCUS is uniquely positioned to integrate it into their bedside assessment.
Project description:Echocardiography is key in evaluating the cause of collapse in the post-cardiac surgery patient. Transesophageal echocardiography provides a greater capability for the diagnosis of pericardial effusion in patients who arrest after cardiac surgery.