Abscess pulsatility: a sonographic sign of osteomyelitis.

INTRODUCTION: Early diagnosis and aggressive treatment of acute osteomyelitis may improve prognosis and prevent further complications. Sonography is useful in the evaluation of osteomyelitis. It can demonstrate early signs of inflammation, such as soft tissue changes near the affected bone, periosteal thickening, periosteal elevation, and subperiosteal abscess. CASE PRESENTATION: A 68-year-old female presented to the emergency department with 3 weeks of worsening left lower extremity pain. She was initially seen by urgent care for left shin erythema and swelling and treated for cellulitis with intramuscular ceftriaxone without improvement. On presentation, she was afebrile and hemodynamically stable with erythema, swelling, and tenderness of the left pretibial soft tissues. Her labs revealed leukocytosis and elevated inflammatory markers. Point-of-care ultrasound demonstrated a bidirectional flow of fluid through a disruption in the bone cortex visualized on greyscale imaging and confirmed with color and spectral Doppler. The patient was diagnosed with osteomyelitis and treated with antibiotics and incision and drainage by orthopedic surgery. DISCUSSION: The unique sonographic finding of pulsatile flow of fluid within an abscess near bone has not been previously described in the literature. The presence of Doppler signal in any fluid other than blood is known as pseudoflow. The presence of pulsatility in this case, which could represent either blood or pseudoflow, drew the ultrasound operator's eye to the cortical defect and lead to the diagnosis of osteomyelitis. CONCLUSIONS: The sonographic finding of pulsatility in an abscess near bone should raise the concern for communication with the medullary cavity.

The Evolution of Cardiovascular Ultrasound: A Review of Cardiac Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS) Across Specialties.

The use of cardiac point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is now widespread in clinics, emergency departments, and all areas of the hospital. Users include medical trainees, advanced practice practitioners, and attending physicians in many specialties and sub-specialties. Opportunities to learn cardiac POCUS and requirements for training vary across specialties, as does the scope of the cardiac POCUS examination. In this review, we describe both a brief history of how cardiac POCUS emerged from echocardiography and the state of the art across a variety of medical fields.

Exploratory study to assess feasibility of intracerebral hemorrhage detection by point of care cranial ultrasound.

BACKGROUND: Limited studies have evaluated the use of ultrasound for detection of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) using diagnostic ultrasound Transcranial Doppler machines in adults. The feasibility of ICH detection using Point of care Ultrasound (POCUS) machines has not been explored. We evaluated the feasibility of using cranial POCUS B mode imaging performed using intensive care unit (ICU) POCUS device for ICH detection with a secondary goal of mapping optimal imaging technique and brain topography likely to affect sensitivity and specificity of ICH detection with POCUS. MATERIALS AND METHODS: After obtaining IRB approval, a blinded investigator performed cranial ultrasound (Fujifilm, Sonosite® Xporte, transcranial and abdominal presets) through temporal windows on 11 patients with intracerebral pathology within 72 h of last CT/MRI (computed tomography scan/magnetic resonance imaging) brain after being admitted to a neurocritical care unit in Aug 2020 and Nov 2020-Mar 2021. Images were then compared to patient's CT/MRI to inform topography. Inferential statistics were reported. RESULTS: Mean age was 57 (28-77 years) and 6/11 were female. Six patients were diagnosed with ICH, 3 with ischemic stroke, 1 subarachnoid hemorrhage, and 1 brain tumor. The sensitivity and specificity of point of care diagnosis of ICH compared to CT/MRI brain was 100% and 50%, respectively. Mean time between ultrasound scan and CT/MRI was 13.3 h (21 min-39 h). Falx cerebri, choroid calcification and midbrain-related artifacts were the most reproducible hyperechoic signals. Abdominal preset on high gain yielded less artifact than Transcranial Doppler preset for cranial B mode imaging. False positive ICH diagnosis was attributed to intracerebral tumor and midbrain-related artifact. CONCLUSIONS: Our exploratory analysis yielded preliminary data on use of point of care cranial ultrasound for ICH diagnosis to inform imaging techniques, cranial topography on B mode and sample size estimation for future studies to evaluate sensitivity and specificity of cranial POCUS in adult patients. This pilot study is limited by small sample size and over representation of ICH in the study. Cranial POCUS is feasible using POCUS machines and may have potential as a screening tool if validated in adequately powered studies.

Virtual multispecialty point-of-care ultrasound rotation for fourth-year medical students during COVID-19: Innovative teaching techniques improve ultrasound knowledge and image interpretation.

Objectives: Point-of-care ultrasound (PoCUS) has been integrated into undergraduate medical education. The COVID-19 pandemic forced medical schools to evolve clinical rotations to minimize interruption through implementation of novel remote learning courses. To address the students' need for remote clinical education, we created a virtual PoCUS course for our fourth-year class. We present details of the course's development, implementation, quality improvement processes, achievements, and limitations. Methods: A virtual PoCUS course was created for 141 fourth-year medical students. The learning objectives included ultrasound physics, performing and interpreting ultrasound applications, and incorporating PoCUS into clinical decisions and procedural guidance. Students completed a 30-question pre- and posttest focused on ultrasound and knowledge of clinical concepts. PoCUS educators from 10 different specialties delivered the course over 10 days using video-conferencing software. Students watched live scanning demonstrations and practiced ultrasound probe maneuvers using a cellular telephone to simulate ultrasound probe. Students completed daily course evaluations that were used as a continuous needs assessment to make improvements. Results: A total of 141 students participated in the course; all received a passing grade. The mean pre- and posttest scores improved from 58% to 88% (p < 0.001) through the course duration. Daily evaluations revealed the percentage of students who rated the course's live scanning sessions and didactic components as "very well" increased from 32.7% on day 1 to 69.7% on day 10. The end-of-course evaluation revealed that 91% of students agreed they received effective teaching. Conclusions: In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, our multispecialty faculty expeditiously developed a virtual PoCUS curriculum for the entire fourth-year class. This innovative course improved students' ultrasound knowledge, image interpretation, and clinical application while utilizing novel techniques to teach a hands-on skill virtually. As the demand for PoCUS instruction continues to increase, the accessibility of virtual training and blended learning will be beneficial.

Scoping review of implementing a longitudinal curriculum in undergraduate medical education: The wake forest experience.

BACKGROUND: Hands-on ultrasound experience has become a desirable component for undergraduate medical education (UGME) curricula throughout medical schools in the United States (US) to enhance readiness for future training. Ultrasound integration can be a useful assistive educational method in undergraduate medical education to improve anatomy and physiology skills. Relatively few medical schools have integrated ultrasound experiences formally into their 4-year medical school curriculum due to limitations of a resource intensive set up. METHODS: We undertook a scoping review of published UGME ultrasound curricula integrated into all four years in peer-reviewed as well online literature. In addition, we provide a narrative review of our institutional experience in conceptualization, design and implementation of UGME ultrasound curriculum driven by need to address the fading knowledge in anatomy and physiology concepts beyond pre-clinical years. RESULTS: Integrated ultrasound curriculum at WFSOM utilizes focused ultrasonography as a teaching aid for students to gain a more thorough understanding of basic and clinical science concepts taught in the medical school curriculum. We found 18 medical schools with ultrasound curricula published in peer-reviewed literature with a total of 33 ultrasound programs discovered by adding Google search and personal communication CONCLUSIONS: The results of the review and our institutional experience can help inform future educators interested in developing similar curricula in their undergraduate programs. Common standards, milestones and standardized competency-based assessments would be helpful in more widespread application of ultrasound in UGME curricula.

Social Media Usage Among Nurses: Perceptions and Practices.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to examine the existing perceptions and social media practices of nurses in a large academic medical center. BACKGROUND: Limited data are available about the perceptions and social media practices among healthcare providers. An understanding of the social networking landscape within the nursing profession is necessary to inform policy and develop effective guidelines. METHODS: This was a single-center prospective observational study involving nurses at a large academic medical center. Nurses completed an anonymous questionnaire regarding their personal use and perceptions of social media in the context of clinical medicine. RESULTS: A total of 397 nurses participated in the study survey. Overall, 87% of participants reported using a general social media account currently. Increasing age was associated with decreasing frequency of social media use. CONCLUSION: Social media usage is common among nurses. Social media perceptions and practices among nurses vary considerably. Well-informed policy and targeted education are needed to guide social media use among healthcare workers.

Examining the Effects of Narrative Commentary on Evaluators' Summative Assessments of Resident Performance.

Anchor-based, end-of-shift ratings are commonly used to conduct performance assessments of resident physicians. These performance evaluations often include narrative assessments, such as solicited or "free-text" commentary. Although narrative commentary can help to create a more detailed and specific assessment of performance, there are limited data describing the effects of narrative commentary on the global assessment process. This single-group, observational study examined the effect of narrative comments on global performance assessments. A subgroup of the clinical competency committee, blinded to resident identity, assigned a single, consensus-based performance score (1-6) to each resident based solely on end-of-shift milestone scores. De-identified narrative comments from end-of-shift evaluations were then included and the process was repeated. We compared milestone-only scores to milestone plus narrative commentary scores using a nonparametric sign test. During the study period, 953 end-of-shift evaluations were submitted on 41 residents. Of these, 535 evaluations included free-text narrative comments. In 17 of the 41 observations, performance scores changed after the addition of narrative comments. In two cases, scores decreased with the addition of free-text commentary. In 15 cases, scores increased. The frequency of net positive change was significant (p = .0023). The addition of narrative commentary to anchor-based ratings significantly influenced the global performance assessment of Emergency Medicine residents by a committee of educators. Descriptive commentary collected at the end of shift may inform more meaningful appraisal of a resident's progress in a milestone-based paradigm. The authors recommend clinical training programs collect unstructured narrative impressions of residents' performance from supervising faculty.

Constipation-Associated Stercoral Colitis.

A 9-year-old white girl with a history of constipation presented to the emergency department with a few weeks of intermittent stool incontinence without any reported changes in diet or difficulty tolerating food or fluids by mouth. On the day of presentation, she developed nausea and nonbloody, nonbilious emesis, as well as multiple, loose, nonbloody stools, after becoming acutely ill during lunch at school. There was no reported fever or suspicious food intake. On examination, she was noted to be afebrile, hypotensive, and tachycardic with abdominal tenderness. Her blood work was notable for a marked leukocytosis of 66,000 and a subsequent computed tomography scan of her abdomen was performed. The imaging test identified a large fecaloma with surrounding colonic inflammation concerning for stercoral colitis. The child underwent urgent manual disimpaction and was hospitalized for supportive care with subsequent recovery and return to her normal state of health. Follow-up testing during her hospital stay did not reveal any other infectious or physiologic cause for her constipation and colitis.

Ability of emergency ultrasonography to detect pediatric skull fractures: a prospective, observational study.

BACKGROUND: Blunt head trauma is a common reason for medical evaluation in the pediatric Emergency Department (ED). The diagnostic work-up for skull fracture, as well as for traumatic brain injury, often involves computed tomography (CT) scanning, which may require sedation and exposes children to often-unnecessary ionizing radiation. OBJECTIVES: Our objective was to determine if bedside ED ultrasound is an accurate diagnostic tool for identifying skull fractures when compared to head CT. METHODS: We present a prospective study of bedside ultrasound for diagnosing skull fractures in head-injured pediatric patients. A consecutive series of children presenting with head trauma requiring CT scan was enrolled. Cranial bedside ultrasound imaging was performed by an emergency physician and compared to the results of the CT scan. The primary outcome was to identify the sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values of ultrasound for skull fractures when compared to head CT. RESULTS: Bedside emergency ultrasound performs with 100% sensitivity (95% confidence interval [CI] 88.2-100%) and 95% specificity (95% CI 75.0-99.9%) when compared to CT scan for the diagnosis of skull fractures. Positive and negative predictive values were 97.2% (95% CI 84.6-99.9%) and 100% (95% CI 80.2-100%), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Compared to CT scan, bedside ultrasound may accurately diagnose pediatric skull fractures. Considering the simplicity of this examination, the minimal experience needed for an Emergency Physician to provide an accurate diagnosis and the lack of ionizing radiation, Emergency Physicians should consider this modality in the evaluation of pediatric head trauma. We believe this may be a useful tool to incorporate in minor head injury prediction rules, and warrants further investigation.

Ultrasound measurements of the saphenous vein in the pediatric emergency department population with comparison to i.v. catheter size.

BACKGROUND: Saphenous vein cutdown is a rare venous access procedure. Ultrasound (US) can assist with many vascular access procedures. OBJECTIVES: Our objective was to identify the saphenous veins (SVs) using US in pediatric emergency department (ED) patients, and to determine if the SV size allows for potential cannulation by different standard-size intravenous (i.v.) catheters. METHODS: This study was a prospective, observational convenience sample of 60 pediatric patients at an urban, regional referral pediatric ED. Inclusion criteria were children ages 1 through 12 years categorized into four age groups: 1-<2, 2-4, 5-7, and 8-12 years, with informed consent and assent. Investigators performed US examination using a 10-MHz multi-frequency transducer to identify the SV on both legs and measure the SV in short-axis view. The US measurements were then used to calculate the SV areas. Diameters of typical pediatric gauge (G) catheters (24G, 22G, 20G, 18G) were used to calculate catheter areas. RESULTS: Sixty patients were enrolled, with five SVs unable to be measured in 4 patients (1 patient with both SVs). For the remaining 115 (96%) SVs available for further analysis, the median age was 4 years (interquartile range [IQR] 2) and median weight was 22.7 kg (IQR 14.5). Mean area (mm(2)) of the right SV was 2.85 ± 1.9 and for the left SV, 2.88 ± 1.8. For our study group, the compatibility rates of different size i.v. catheters to fit the measured SV areas were as follows: 24G = 100%, 22G = 100%, 20G = 97.3%, and 18G =86.1%. CONCLUSIONS: US can localize the SV in pediatric ED patients. US size of the SV in various pediatric age ranges suggests that the SV may be a potential US venous access site with multiple-size i.v. catheters up to 18G.

The effect of intranasal steroid budesonide on the congestion-related sleep disturbance and daytime somnolence in patients with perennial allergic rhinitis.

Patients with perennial allergic rhinitis (PAR) often present with nasal congestion, poor sleep, daytime fatigue, and daytime somnolence. Pharmacologic therapy that reduces nasal congestion should improve the PAR patients' sleep quality and reduce daytime somnolence and fatigue. Our hypothesis is that intranasal steroid budesonide (BUD), an effective topical anti-inflammatory agent, will reduce nasal congestion and improve the patients' quality of life. The objective of this study was to determine whether topical steroid BUD improves sleep, daytime somnolence, and fatigue in patients with PAR. Twenty-six subjects were enrolled in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study using Balaam's design. Patients were treated with intranasal steroid spray BUD or placebo. The Epworth Sleepiness Scale, daily diary, and questionnaires were used as tools for subjective data analysis, which focused on nasal symptoms, sleep quality, daytime somnolence, and fatigue. The results were summarized and compared by PROC MIXED in SAS. The daily diary data showed significant improvement in self-reported nasal congestion (p = 0.04) and daytime sleepiness (p = 0.01) and a trend in reduction of daytime fatigue (p = 0.08) in the BUD group compared with the placebo group. The sleep measures showed statistically significant improvement in total sleep measures score (p = 0.04), "sleep compared with absolute" (p = 0.01), and "refreshing and restorative" sleep (p = 0.04) in the active group. Nasal corticosteroid BUD is effective in reducing nasal congestion, daytime somnolence, and daytime fatigue, and improving sleep quality in PAR.

Poor sleep and daytime somnolence in allergic rhinitis: significance of nasal congestion.

Patients with allergic rhinitis frequently present with symptoms of nasal congestion, runny nose, sneezing, daytime somnolence and fatigue associated with decreased cognitive performance and impaired quality of life. Recent research has suggested that daytime somnolence in allergic rhinitis can be attributed to chronic inflammation of the nasal mucosa leading to nasal congestion and obstructed nasal passageways resulting in disturbed sleep. Treating daytime somnolence due to allergic rhinitis requires a reduction in obstruction caused by nasal congestion. Currently available therapy for allergic rhinitis includes topical corticosteroids, sedating and nonsedating antihistamines, topical cromolyn sodium (sodium cromoglycate), decongestants, immunotherapy and topical ipratropium bromide. The effectiveness of antihistamines in patients with allergic rhinitis has long been established. However, results of placebo-controlled trials investigating the effects of azelastine on sleep and daytime somnolence have produced conflicting results. Sleep improved with azelastine therapy, but there was a lack of evidence that azelastine significantly affected daytime sleepiness, sleep severity and nasal congestion. Sedating antihistamines exacerbate daytime somnolence and should be avoided in patients with allergic rhinitis. In a separate study, desloratadine failed to benefit sleep, but did not worsen daytime somnolence. Topical nasal cromolyn sodium is inconvenient to use and is unlikely to have a major effect on nasal congestion. Decongestants do decrease nasal congestion but the effect this has on sleep has not been adequately studied. Recent research has shown that topical corticosteroids are an effective treatment for alleviating nasal congestion secondary to allergic rhinitis. However, few studies have assessed the effect of topical corticosteroids on daytime fatigue and sleep. In 20 patients with allergic rhinitis and symptoms of daytime sleepiness, flunisolide significantly improved sleep quality and congestion but daytime sleepiness was not significantly improved. A similar study with fluticasone propionate showed improvement in nasal congestion and sleep but there was no significant change in objective sleep measurements recorded on polysomnography. Further research involving objective measures of sleep quality is necessary to determine the efficacy of medications in the treatment of allergic rhinitis associated with fatigue and daytime somnolence.