Spoon Feed
While it doesn’t have great specificity, the sensitivity of ultrasound makes it a viable first step in making the diagnosis of peritonsillar abscess.
Source
Test characteristics of ultrasound for the diagnosis of peritonsillar abscess: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Acad Emerg Med. 2023 Aug;30(8):859-869. doi: 10.1111/acem.14660. Epub 2023 Jan 30.
Spoon Feed
The LUS-ARDS score can make a diagnosis of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) easier, particularly in patients who can’t have CT scan. The LUS-ARDS score performs similarly to the standard of care (Berlin criteria plus CXR evaluation) in diagnosis of ARDS in ventilated patients.
Spoon Feed
Pulling traction on a testicle with torsion is proposed by these authors to help relieve pressure, identify direction of torsion, and to make manual detorsion easier to perform. See figure below for technique.
Spoon Feed
Through the use of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) Emergency Medicine providers can optimize and tailor pre-intubation resuscitation in critically ill patients. See algorithm below.
Spoon Feed
An initial diagnostic workup that includes an E-FAST exam and targeted chest and pelvis x-rays allows clinicians an opportunity to assess and intervene appropriately on the majority of patients prior to WBCT in the setting of blunt trauma.
Source
Appropriateness of Initial Course of Action in the Management of Blunt Trauma Based on a Diagnostic Workup Including an Extended Ultrasonography Scan. JAMA Netw Open. 2022 Dec 1;5(12):e2245432. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.45432.
Spoon Feed
When performed by an experienced EM physician or radiologist, a conclusive appendix ultrasound is both sensitive and specific when evaluating for acute appendicitis and can be used in place of CT.
Spoon Feed
Diagnostic characteristics that help differentiate testicular torsion from other causes of acute scrotal pain include vomiting, age > 13, scrotal edema, and palpation of a hard testis. Use caution with normal ultrasound results in those with high pretest probability.
Source
Clinical risk factors for testicular torsion and a warning against falsely reassuring ultrasound scans: a 10-year single-centre experience. Emerg Med J. 2022 Dec 16;emermed-2021-211946. doi: 10.1136/emermed-2021-211946. Online ahead of print.
Spoon Feed
Ultrasonography can assist in identification of cricothyroid membrane for scalpel cricothyroidotomy pre-planning but should not be used in completion of the procedure itself.
Source
Role of ultrasonography in an impalpable tissue larynx model during a simulated front-of-neck access scenario: a randomized simulation study. CJEM. 2022 Nov 8. doi: 10.1007/s43678-022-00399-6. Epub ahead of print.
Spoon Feed
Using Tegaderm™ during ocular ultrasound was associated with poorer image quality and had no effect on patient comfort. If you’re using ocular ultrasound as a modality, consider if using a Tegaderm™ will get in the way of a good diagnosis.
Source
Covered or uncovered: A randomized control trial of Tegaderm versus no Tegaderm for ocular ultrasound. Am J Emerg Med. 2022 Aug 28;61:87-89. doi: 10.1016/j.ajem.2022.08.044. Online ahead of print.
Spoon Feed
This is an EM-focused review of pericardial tamponade, including the bedside echo.
Source
Pericardial tamponade: A comprehensive emergency medicine and echocardiography review. Am J Emerg Med. 2022 Aug;58:159-174. doi: 10.1016/j.ajem.2022.05.001. Epub 2022 May 6.
