Trick of the Trade: Bubble Study for Confirmation of Central Line Placement

The safe placement a central venous catheter (CVC) remains an important part of caring for critically ill patients.¹ Over 5 million CVCs are placed each year in the United States. It is crucial to confirm that the central line is placed in the correct position in order to rule out potential complications of the procedure (e.g. pneumothorax) and begin administration of life-saving medications. Post-procedure chest radiographs (CXR) are the standard of care for CVC placements above the diaphragm. However, the annual cost to the U.S. healthcare system for CXRs after CVC placement is estimated to be over $500 million.² Further, in a busy ED, the limited availability of portable radiography may pose a considerable time delay. Radiography may also be limited in resource‐poor and austere settings, particularly the prehospital and military environments. We review a faster, cheaper, and more accurate alternative for evaluating CVC placement: point of care ultrasound (POCUS).

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By Timothy Montrief, MD MPH|2019-01-31T13:41:52-08:00Jan 31, 2019|Critical Care/ Resus, Tricks of the Trade, Ultrasound|

Use of Point-of-care Ultrasound in Tibial Plateau Fractures | Case Presentation

A 70-year-old female with no past medical history was hit by a motor vehicle while crossing the street. She experienced no head strike or loss of consciousness, however she was unable to ambulate at the scene, and upon arrival to the ED, complained of left knee pain. The emergency physician noted moderate swelling on exam with intact skin and distal pulses. She was tender to palpation over the proximal tibia. Portable 2-view radiographs were obtained and interpreted as “no acute fracture.” On repeat examination, however, the patient continued to have pain and was now unable to bear weight on the affected extremity. Is there a role for point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) in this situation?

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By Dawa Sherpa, MD|2018-10-28T22:17:27-07:00Oct 29, 2018|Orthopedic, Radiology, Ultrasound|

Ultrasound guided peripheral IV: It’s time to clean up our act

Have you ever performed a procedure, when suddenly, you are overcome by a sinking feeling that something just is not right? A mix of fear, guilt, and anger: Fear that you endangered a patient, guilt that you missed an important step in the procedure, and anger at yourself for being careless. The oath we take as physicians echoes loudly: Primum non nocere. First, do no harm.

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By Daniel Mirsch, DO|2020-01-03T17:33:56-08:00Sep 11, 2018|Infectious Disease, Ultrasound|

EM Fellowship Match Advice: Ultrasound Fellowship

The EM Residency Match Advice Series is back with its latest installment! We put the focus on emergency ultrasound fellowships, and our sage panel walks us through some of the changes to this year’s application cycle. For the first time, Ultrasound Fellowship Programs will participate in the NRMP match program. The Society for Clinical Ultrasound Fellowships (SCUF) provides the fellowship application service (similar to the role of ERAS, but shorter!) for the residency match. Hosted by Drs. Michael Gisondi and Michelle Lin, watch the video or listen to the podcast to learn about important changes to the application process and hear tips from our experts on what to consider when pursuing a career in emergency ultrasound.

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By Michael Gisondi, MD|2018-09-09T18:52:04-07:00Sep 10, 2018|EM Match Advice, Ultrasound|

Ultrasound For The Win! – 57F with Chest Pain and Dyspnea #US4TW

Welcome to another ultrasound-based case, part of the “Ultrasound For The Win!” (#US4TW) Case Series. In this case series, we focus on a real clinical case where point-of-care ultrasound changed the management of a patient’s care or aided in the diagnosis. In this case, a 57-year-old woman presents with chest pain and dyspnea.

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By John MacIsaac, BSc. Hons, MD Candidate (2019)|2018-08-26T19:17:12-07:00Aug 27, 2018|Cardiovascular, ECG, Ultrasound, Ultrasound for the Win|

The Problem

Emergency ultrasound (EUS) has quickly become a fundamental aspect of emergency medicine (EM) residency training. While still relatively novel to the field, there has been a significant focus on curriculum development in accordance with the core ultrasound application guidelines set forth by the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP).¹ Currently, there is no consensus on the optimal approach to EUS education that will provide learners with true clinical competence post-matriculation. Furthermore, a recent survey demonstrated that there is conflict between what ACEP guidelines consider to be competence in EUS and resident opinion on the matter.² One potential identified issue with our current model is the focus on early ultrasound learning in junior EM residents with a lack of ongoing EUS education in senior years.
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By Michael Macias, MD|2018-06-06T09:33:25-07:00Jun 10, 2018|IDEA series, Ultrasound|

PEM Pearls: Pediatric Ultrasound-Guided Peripheral IV Access

Pediatric patients are not just little adults. Placing peripheral IVs in young patients can be challenging and comes with its own set of challenges. Presented are some basic and advanced tips to maximize success in establishing peripheral IV access in pediatric patients using ultrasonography.
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