Archive

Tag: Ultrasound

IVC Distensibility Index vs Collapsibility Index: Using the Correct Index

Background  In 1979, Hiroshi Natori was the first to appreciate the sonographic changes that occur in the inferior vena cava (IVC)’s diameter with ventilation in spontaneously breathing patients, mechanically ventilated patients, and those with carcinogenic and tuberculoid cardiac tamponade.1 They ...

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CardiovascularResuscitationThoracic and Respiratory

Navigating Nerve Blocks: US-Guided Nerve Blocks Vs. Sub-Dissociative Ketamine

Background: Ultrasound-guided nerve blocks have become appealing for pain management in the emergency department (ED). The adoption and expansion of ultrasound, coupled with the precise delivery route and low complication rates, facilitated the transition of nerve blocks from the operating room ...

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Procedures and Skills

Serial PoCUS for ED Patients with Acute Dyspnea: Is More Actually Better?

Background: Point-of-care ultrasound (PoCUS) is a valuable clinical tool in the assessment of acute dyspnea. It can be used to distinguish between various conditions, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exacerbation, acute heart failure (AHF), pleural effusion, pulmonary edema, pericardial ...

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Procedures and SkillsThoracic and Respiratory

Don’t Believe the Headline: Ultrasound vs CXR in Traumatic Pneumothorax Diagnosis

Background:           The use of ultrasound is well established for trauma patients in the emergency department, with almost every patient receiving a FAST (Focused Assessment with Sonography in Trauma) examination as part of the “ABC’s” of trauma. Though the initial ...

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Trauma

POCUS in the ED: Is Confirmatory RUQ US Still Necessary?

Background: Point of care ultrasound (POCUS) has a demonstrated sensitivity of 89.8% and specificity of 88.0% for identification of cholelithiasis and has a proven negative predictive value for ruling out other acute biliary pathology such as acute cholecystitis.1  It is ...

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Abdominal and GastroinstestinalProcedures and Skills

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