scholarly journals Focus on POCUS: Carcinoid Heart Disease Found with Point-of-Care Ultrasound during Basic Physical Exam

CASE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeby R. Abraham ◽  
Evan Torline ◽  
Emilio Fentanes
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew G. Hanson ◽  
Barry Chan

Abstract Background Symptomatic pericardial effusion (PCE) presents with non-specific features and are often missed on the initial physical exam, chest X-ray (CXR), and electrocardiogram (ECG). In extreme cases, misdiagnosis can evolve into decompensated cardiac tamponade, a life-threatening obstructive shock. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) on the diagnosis and therapeutic intervention of clinically significant PCE. Methods In a retrospective chart review, we looked at all patients between 2002 and 2018 at a major Canadian academic hospital who had a pericardiocentesis for clinically significant PCE. We extracted the rate of presenting complaints, physical exam findings, X-ray findings, ECG findings, time-to-diagnosis, and time-to-pericardiocentesis and how these were impacted by POCUS. Results The most common presenting symptom was dyspnea (64%) and the average systolic blood pressure (SBP) was 120 mmHg. 86% of people presenting had an effusion > 1 cm, and 89% were circumferential on departmental echocardiogram (ECHO) with 64% having evidence of right atrial systolic collapse and 58% with early diastolic right ventricular collapse. The average time-to-diagnosis with POCUS was 5.9 h compared to > 12 h with other imaging including departmental ECHO. Those who had the PCE identified by POCUS had an average time-to-pericardiocentesis of 28.1 h compared to > 48 h with other diagnostic modalities. Conclusion POCUS expedites the diagnosis of symptomatic PCE given its non-specific clinical findings which, in turn, may accelerate the time-to-intervention.


2020 ◽  
Vol 43 (12) ◽  
pp. 1368-1375
Author(s):  
Muhammad Hammadah ◽  
Christopher Ponce ◽  
Paul Sorajja ◽  
João L. Cavalcante ◽  
Santiago Garcia ◽  
...  

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 222-224
Author(s):  
Ashley Rider ◽  
Andrea Dreyfuss ◽  
Roberto Inga

Ebstein’s anomaly is a congenital heart defect that when left untreated can lead to unique physical exam and ultrasound findings. This case describes a patient who presented with dyspnea and was found to have cyanosis, clubbing, and dilation of right-sided chambers on point-of-care ultrasound. The series of images highlights findings in late-stage Ebstein’s anomaly and serves as a springboard for the discussion of the pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment of this rare congenital heart disease.


Author(s):  
Yashasvi Chugh ◽  
Opema Lohese ◽  
Paul Sorajja ◽  
Ross Garberich ◽  
Lariss Stanberry ◽  
...  

Background: Despite continued efforts, the majority of patients with valvular heart disease (VHD) remain undiagnosed and untreated. This study aimed to assess the adoptability and accuracy of point-of-care handheld echocardiographic assessments (POCE) in the primary care setting. Methods: Eleven previously untrained primary care providers were trained to use the Vscan Extend (GE, WI) POCE to assess VHD, left ventricular function (LVEF), and major extra-cardiac findings. Their assessments were compared to those of 3 blinded expert readers. A total of 180 assessments were evaluated using Kappa statistics (κ) together with their estimated standard error, p-value, and 95% CI bounds. Results: Identical or nearly identical agreement between previously untrained primary providers and expert readers was evident for the diagnosis of tricuspid regurgitation, mitral regurgitation, pericardial effusion, volume status. These agreements were strongest in apical long axis (κ =1, p<0.001) and parasternal long and short axis views (k>=0.82 p<0.001), though agreement remained robust in apical 4-chamber views (k>=0.76). The agreements in LVEF assessment were identical in the apical long axis view (κ =1, p<0.001) and robust in the remaining 3 views (κ>=0.66, p<0.001). The assessments of aortic stenosis (parasternal/long, κ =0.42, and parasternal/short, κ =0.47, both p<0.001) were weak in their agreement. Conclusion: Compared to expert echocardiography readers, the untrained providers’ use of POCE for VHD shows high user adoptability and diagnostic accuracies in the primary care setting.


2019 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 56-58
Author(s):  
Jonathan Chun-Hei Cheung ◽  
Abdul Karim Bin Kitchell ◽  
Kam Leung Law

A 44-year-old healthy man presented to the emergency department with left hip pain for a week. The physical exam did not point to a specific disease and his serum inflammatory markers were all increased. Point-of-care ultrasound was performed to help guide the management. The patient was able to receive definitive operation in a day.


2021 ◽  
Vol 77 (18) ◽  
pp. 1711
Author(s):  
Opema Lohese ◽  
Ross Garberich ◽  
Larissa Stanberry ◽  
Paul Sorajja ◽  
Joao Cavalcante ◽  
...  

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