Effect of Emergency Physician-Performed Point-of-Care Ultrasound and Radiology Department-Performed Ultrasound Examinations on the Emergency Department Length of Stay Among Pregnant Women at Less Than 20 Weeks' Gestation

2018 ◽  
Vol 37 (11) ◽  
pp. 2497-2505 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian B. Morgan ◽  
Amanda Kao ◽  
Stacy A. Trent ◽  
Nicole Hurst ◽  
Lauren Oliveira ◽  
...  
2016 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 178 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sean P. Wilson ◽  
Kiah Connolly ◽  
Shadi Lahham ◽  
Mohammad Subeh ◽  
Chanel Fischetti ◽  
...  

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 636-637
Author(s):  
Mark Quilon ◽  
Alec Glucksman ◽  
Gregory Emmanuel ◽  
Josh Greenstein ◽  
Barry Hahn

Case Presentation: A 24-year-old pregnant female presented to the emergency department with lower abdominal cramping and vaginal bleeding. A point-of-care ultrasound demonstrated a calcified yolk sac. Discussion: When identified, calcification of the yolk sac in the first trimester is a sign of fetal demise. It is important for an emergency physician to be aware of the various signs and findings on point-of-care ultrasound and be familiar with the management of these pathologies.


CJEM ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 18 (S1) ◽  
pp. S118-S118
Author(s):  
R. Simard ◽  
S. Socransky

Introduction: Emergency physicians can use B-mode Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS) to identify a patient’s carotid vasculature including the common carotid artery (CCA), and carotid bulb (CB) as well as carotid bifurcation into the internal carotid artery (ICA) and external carotid artery (ECA). Radiology performed carotid ultrasound (RPCU) is performed using both B-mode and spectral Doppler ultrasound, a combination termed “duplex” ultrasound where first arteries are evaluated for stenosis using B-mode ultrasound, which is followed by flow measurements using Doppler. Performing flow measurements using Doppler may add a significant amount of time to the ultrasound, which makes it impractical for an emergency physician in a busy emergency department. Some institutional practices include arranging for outpatient RPCU to assess patients with Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA) and have them follow up in an outpatient TIA clinic. This study explored whether B-mode POCUS without Doppler may help identify Stroke or TIA patients in the emergency department with significant carotid stenosis (CS) by measuring the CCA, CB, and ICA lumen. Methods: Adult patients with an emergency physician diagnosis of stroke or TIA who were sent for RPCU were included in this study. An emergency medicine resident in their POCUS fellowship training performed a B-mode POCUS of the patient’s right and left CCA, CB and ICA with the patient sitting 90 degrees. Three measurements of each of the 3 sections were obtained and the mean calculated. This was then compared to the results from the RPCU as CS >50% or CS <50%. Results: 38 patients were included in the study between February and June 2013. We observed a correlation between absolute differences in comparing the right side of the carotid vasculature to the left side of the carotid vasculature with CS >50%. Also, in one case, the absolute lumen diameter with B-mode POCUS without Doppler predicted near complete CS which was confirmed on the RPCU. Conclusion: B-mode POCUS without Doppler may be useful in identifying patients with CS above and below 50% and may help identify patients who need expedited referrals for CS. However, further research is required before this method can be recommended.


POCUS Journal ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 42-44
Author(s):  
Sara Urquhart ◽  
Kendall Stevens ◽  
Mariah Barnes ◽  
Matthew Flannigan

Introduction: Research suggests emergency providers using point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) to confirm an uncomplicated intrauterine pregnancy (IUP) can decrease emergency department (ED) length of stay (LOS) compared to a radiology department ultrasound (RADUS). The objective of this study was to compare the time to diagnosis and LOS between POCUS and RADUS patients. Methods: This was a retrospective study at one urban medical center. A standardized tool was used to abstract data from a random sample of pregnant patients diagnosed with uncomplicated IUP between January 2016 and December 2017 at a single tertiary care medical center. Microsoft Excel 2010 software was used to measure time intervals, prepare descriptive statistics, and perform Mann-Whitney U tests to compare differences. Results: A random sample of 836 (36%) of the 2,346 emergency department patients diagnosed with an IUP between 8-20 weeks’ gestation during the study period was evaluated for inclusion. Three hundred sixty-six met inclusion criteria and were included in the final analysis. Patients were divided into 2 groups based on which type of ultrasound scan they received first: POCUS (n=165) and RADUS (n=201). Patients who received POCUS were found to have an IUP identified in an average of 48 minutes (95% CI, 43 to 53), while the RADUS group’s mean time to diagnosis was 120 minutes (95% CI 113 to 127) with a difference of 72 minutes (95% CI, 63 to 80; p<0.001). The mean LOS for patients who received POCUS was 132 minutes (95% CI, 122 to 142), while that of the RADUS group was 177 minutes (95% CI 170 to 184) with a difference of 45 minutes (95% CI 32 to 56; p<0.001). The study is limited by its single-center, retrospective design and by lack of blinding of data abstractors. Conclusion: Pregnant emergency department patients diagnosed with an uncomplicated IUP between 8-weeks and 20-weeks’ gestation had statistically significant reduction in time to diagnosis and disposition from the ED if assessed with POCUS as compared to RADUS.


CJEM ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 18 (S1) ◽  
pp. S114-S114
Author(s):  
M. Ravichandiran ◽  
S. Ramkissoon

Introduction: The use of point of care ultrasound (POCUS) has increased rapidly in the emergency department (ED) over the last 10 years. This study seeks to determine whether the use of POCUS to identify intrauterine pregnancy in the ED shortens the length of stay of patients presenting with first trimester pregnancy-related complaints at The Scarborough Hospital (TSH). Methods: A prospective chart review of women seen at TSH ED for first trimester pregnancy-related complaints was conducted from March 1, 2014 to December 30, 2014. ED physicians were asked to record the names of patients assessed using POCUS in the ED along with their findings during the study period (experimental group). Health Records data was used to find all patients seen in the emergency department during the study period with the chief triage complaint of “Pregnancy Issues < 20 weeks” (control group). Results: A total of 378 patients were identified in the control group and 61 patients were recorded in the experimental group. The outliers were removed from both groups. The POCUS identified an intra-uterine pregnancy (POS IUP) in 47.5% and no definite intrauterine pregnancy (NDIUP) in 52.5%.In the control group, 82.0% proceeded to obtain a formal ultrasound (FUS) after the POCUS. Patients found to have a POS IUP on the POCUS spent 141.48±100.95 minutes in hospital, while patients found to have NDIUP spent 197.10±132.48 minutes in hospital (p=0.07). The POS IUP group spent statistically significantly less time in hospital when compared to the control group (p=0.001). In the POCUS group, patients seen between 1700 and 0800 (i.e. when FUS is not available) spent significantly less time (p=0.02) in hospital (113.13±118.07 minutes, n=24) when compared to patients seen between 0800 and 1700 (208.28±106.35 minutes, n=36). Conclusion: For first-trimester pregnancy-related complaints, POCUS has been shown to be effective in reducing the time that patients spend in hospital at TSH. This difference was especially apparent when POCUS was used at times when FUS was not available. Despite the apparent reluctance of many ED physicians to discharge patients without a FUS, even after identifying a POS IUP on the POCUS, it was evident that this technology was saving time for both physicians and patients.


POCUS Journal ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 13-14
Author(s):  
Hadiel Kaiyasah, MD, MRCS (Glasgow), ABHS-GS ◽  
Maryam Al Ali, MBBS

Soft tissue ultrasound (ST-USS) has been shown to be of utmost importance in assessing patients with soft tissue infections in the emergency department or critical care unit. It aids in guiding the management of soft tissue infection based on the sonographic findings.


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