Mid-Ventricular Obliteration Diagnosed by Bedside-Focused Echocardiography in the Emergency Department in a Patient With Syncope and Associated Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy: A Case Report.

Syncope is a common complaint encountered in emergency medicine practice with multiple potential etiologies to investigate. The utility of focused bedside echocardiography allows emergency physicians to diagnose acute cardiovascular causes in a time-sensitive fashion. In this case report, a 61-year-old female with mixed aortic valve disease presented to the emergency department after a syncopal episode. In addition to standard electrocardiogram and laboratory testing, investigation with focused echocardiography performed at the point of care revealed mid-ventricular obliteration due to hypertrophic myocardial remodeling, left ventricular underfilling, and hyperdynamic performance. Key echocardiographic findings that may assist emergency physicians in recognizing and managing this physiological entity were discussed.

Early point-of-care echocardiography as a predictive factor for absence of return of spontaneous circulatory in out-of-hospital cardiac arrests: a multicentre observational study.

INTRODUCTION: Early assessment of the prognosis of a patient in cardiac arrest during cardiopulmonary resuscitation is highly challenging. This study aims to evaluate the predictive outcome value of early point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) in out-of-hospital settings. METHODS: This observational, prospective, multicenter study's primary endpoint was the positive predictive value (PPV) of POCUS cardiac standstill within the first 12 minutes of advanced life support (ALS) initiation in determining the absence of return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC). A multivariate logistic regression model was constructed with adjustments for known predictive variables typically used in termination of resuscitation (TOR) rules. RESULTS: A total of 293 patients were analyzed, with a mean age of 66.6 ± 14.6 years, and a majority were men (75.8%). POCUS was performed on average 7.9 ± 2.6 minutes after ALS initiation. Among patients with cardiac standstill (72.4%), 16.0% achieved ROSC compared with 48.2% in those with visible cardiac motions. The PPV of early POCUS cardiac standstill for the absence of ROSC was 84.0%, 95% CI [78.3-88.6]. In multivariable analysis, only POCUS cardiac standstill (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 3.89, 95% CI [1.86-8.17]) and end-tidal CO2 (ETCO2) value ≤ 37 mmHg (aOR 4.27, 95% CI [2.21-8.25]) were associated with the absence of ROSC. CONCLUSION: Early POCUS cardiac standstill during CPR for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest was a reliable predictor of the absence of ROSC. However, its presence alone was not sufficient to determine the termination of resuscitation efforts. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03494153. Registered March 29, 2018.

Use of Point-of-Care Ultrasound to Diagnose a Ruptured Splenic Hemangioma.

An 89-year-old female presented to the emergency department (ED) with hypotension and altered mental status. The patient had no external signs of trauma or hemorrhage and no abdominal tenderness on examination. The patient remained hypotensive after initial fluid resuscitation, and laboratory testing revealed a significant anemia. Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) was used to perform a rapid ultrasound in shock (RUSH) exam in an attempt to uncover the etiology of undifferentiated hypotension. The exam displayed free fluid in the right upper quadrant and the left upper quadrant exam demonstrated a large splenic lesion with mixed echogenicity. Subsequent computed tomography (CT) of the abdomen and pelvis with intravenous contrast suggested a ruptured hemorrhagic splenic cyst, and the patient underwent an emergent splenectomy for hemorrhage control. Operative pathologic examination revealed the cystic lesion to be a splenic hemangioma. This case report highlights the utility of the Rapid Ultrasound for Shock and Hypotension (RUSH) protocol when evaluating patients with undifferentiated nontraumatic shock, and a rare cause of spontaneous intra-abdominal hemorrhage.

Factors associated with difficult intravenous access in the paediatric emergency department: A prospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVES: Although it is the most performed invasive procedure, peripheral intravenous catheter (PIVC) insertion in children can be difficult. The primary objective of the study was to identify the factors associated with difficult intravenous access (DIVA) in the paediatric ED, including patient, proceduralist and situational factors. METHODS: This was a single-centre prospective observational cohort study conducted over 28 consecutive days. Research assistants observed PIVC insertion attempts for children under 16 years of age and recorded data for variables relating to the patient, proceduralist and event. Univariate logistic regression modelling was performed to identify factors associated with DIVA, defined as unsuccessful PIVC insertion on the first attempt. RESULTS: A total of 134 participants were recruited; 66 were male (49%) with a median age of 5.7 years. Fifty-two (39%) were classified as having DIVA. There was a total of 207 PIVC insertion attempts with two or more attempts needed for 48 children (36%). Patient factors associated with DIVA included age of 3 years or less and limited vein options. Proceduralist factors included gestalt of 50% or less chance of success, use of a larger gauge (smaller bore) PIVC and less PIVC insertion experience. Situational factors included a combative child, higher pain score and loud ambient noise. CONCLUSIONS: The present study identified multiple patient, proceduralist and situational factors that were associated with DIVA in the paediatric ED. Future studies should explore the development and implementation of a package to address DIVA in children, with the patient-centred goals of reducing pain and improving success.

The Use of Point-of-Care Ultrasound in the Diagnosis and Percutaneous Aspiration of Liver Abscess in a Resource-Limited Country: A Case Report.

Diagnosis and management of liver abscesses in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) is difficult due to limited diagnostic imaging availability. Limited data is available describing the use of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) in the diagnosis and percutaneous aspiration of liver abscesses in resource-limited countries. We describe a 21-year-old female who was diagnosed with a liver abscess. The diagnosis of liver abscess was made via POCUS, and the patient was successfully managed with empiric antimicrobials and repeated POCUS-assisted percutaneous needle aspiration. In resource-limited settings, adequate training of personnel and availability of POCUS may help in early diagnosis and treatment of liver abscess - thus helping to reduce its related morbidity and mortality - while also aiding in resource conservation.

Woman With Shoulder Pain: Posterior Shoulder Dislocation Diagnosed With Point-of-Care Ultrasound.

Posterior shoulder dislocations are relatively rare. When used by emergency medicine physicians, point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) demonstrates higher sensitivity and specificity for diagnosing shoulder dislocation as compared to two-view plain films. A 49-year-old woman presented to the emergency department (ED) with left shoulder pain following a mechanical fall. Physical examination was remarkable for a gross shoulder deformity and tenderness over the left proximal humerus. POCUS of the left shoulder using a curvilinear probe and a posterior approach was performed and demonstrated posterior displacement of the humeral head relative to the glenoid. Anteroposterior and oblique shoulder X-rays were read as unremarkable by the radiologist; a computed tomography of the shoulder confirmed a posterior shoulder dislocation. Given its efficacy and efficiency as compared to X-ray radiography, POCUS should be strongly considered in the diagnosis and management of posterior shoulder dislocations in the ED setting.

A shared point of care ultrasound curriculum for graduate medical education.

BACKGROUND: Point of care ultrasound (POCUS) education has grown significantly over the past two decades. Like most curricular items, POCUS education is siloed within individual graduate medical education (GME) programs. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a shared GME POCUS curriculum between five GME programs at a single institution. METHODS: Post-graduate-year-1 (PGY-1) residents from emergency medicine (EM), family medicine (FM), internal medicine (IM), combined internal medicine-pediatrics (IM-Peds) and combined emergency medicine-pediatrics (EM-Peds) residency programs were enrolled in a core POCUS curriculum. The curriculum included eleven asynchronous online learning modules and ten hands-on training sessions proctored by sonographers and faculty physicians with POCUS expertise. Data was gathered about the curriculum's effectiveness including participation, pre- and post-curricular surveys, pre- and post-knowledge assessments, and an objective skills assessment. RESULTS: Of the 85 residents enrolled, 61 (72%) participated in the curriculum. Engagement varied between programs, with attendance at hands-on sessions varying the most (EM 100%, EM-Peds 100%, FM 40%, IM 22%, Med-Peds 11%). Pre- and post-knowledge assessment scores improved for all components of the curriculum. Participants felt significantly more confident with image acquisition, anatomy recognition, interpreting images and incorporating POCUS findings into clinical practice (p < 0.001) after completing the curriculum. CONCLUSION: In this shared GME POCUS curriculum, we found significant improvement in POCUS knowledge, attitudes, and psychomotor skills. This shared approach may be a viable way for other institutions to provide POCUS education broadly to their GME programs.

Accuracy of lung ultrasound performed with handheld ultrasound device in internal medicine: an observational study.

AIMS: Lung ultrasound (LUS) is increasingly used in Internal Medicine to complement medical examination, documenting pleural and lung conditions. This study aimed to compare the accuracy of handheld ultrasound device (HHUSD) with high-end ultrasound device (HEUSD) in patients with heart failure or pneumonia, also including the assessment of costs and time-savings. METHODS: In this observational study 72 patients (aged ≥ 18) admitted to Internal Medicine Unit for heart failure or pneumonia underwent LUS plus evaluation of inferior cava vein (ICV) when indicated, using both HHUSD and HEUSD. Each evaluation, independently performed by 2 different experienced operators, included B-lines number, pleural effusion, lung consolidations, ICV ectasia and its respiratory excursions. RESULTS: Concordance between HHUSD and HEUSD findings was 79.3% ± 17.7 (mean ± SD) for B-lines, 88.6% for pleural effusion, 82.3% for consolidations and 88.7% and 84.9% for ICV ectasia and its respiratory excursions respectively. BMI didn't significantly influence concordance between the two methods. Moreover, examination time (as mean ± SD) was shorter with HHUSD (8 ± 1.5 min) compared to HEUSD (10 ± 2.5 min). CONCLUSIONS: HHUSD demonstrated high accuracy in detecting B-lines, pleural effusions, lung consolidations and ICV evaluation when compared to HEUSD. Thus, HHUSD, not only is characterized by accessibility, portability, and easy handling due to its small size, but it also offers advantages in terms of saving costs and time, ultimately contributing to faster patient assessment compared to HEUSD.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) Applications for Point of Care Ultrasound (POCUS) in Low-Resource Settings: A Scoping Review.

Advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) for point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) have ushered in new possibilities for medical diagnostics in low-resource settings. This review explores the current landscape of AI applications in POCUS across these environments, analyzing studies sourced from three databases-SCOPUS, PUBMED, and Google Scholars. Initially, 1196 records were identified, of which 1167 articles were excluded after a two-stage screening, leaving 29 unique studies for review. The majority of studies focused on deep learning algorithms to facilitate POCUS operations and interpretation in resource-constrained settings. Various types of low-resource settings were targeted, with a significant emphasis on low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), rural/remote areas, and emergency contexts. Notable limitations identified include challenges in generalizability, dataset availability, regional disparities in research, patient compliance, and ethical considerations. Additionally, the lack of standardization in POCUS devices, protocols, and algorithms emerged as a significant barrier to AI implementation. The diversity of POCUS AI applications in different domains (e.g., lung, hip, heart, etc.) illustrates the challenges of having to tailor to the specific needs of each application. By separating out the analysis by application area, researchers will better understand the distinct impacts and limitations of AI, aligning research and development efforts with the unique characteristics of each clinical condition. Despite these challenges, POCUS AI systems show promise in bridging gaps in healthcare delivery by aiding clinicians in low-resource settings. Future research endeavors should prioritize addressing the gaps identified in this review to enhance the feasibility and effectiveness of POCUS AI applications to improve healthcare outcomes in resource-constrained environments.

Handheld Ultrasound Bladder Volume Assessment Compared to Standard Technique.

Urinary retention is a common complaint encountered in the emergency department (ED). Current tools for the assessment of urinary retention are either bladder volume estimation with a bladder scanner performed by nursing staff or direct visualization and measurement via bedside ultrasound performed by an emergency physician. Newer handheld ultrasound devices such as the Butterfly iQ have been brought to the market to bring ultrasound more conveniently to the bedside. A recently released handheld auto-calculation tool produces a 3D image of the bladder and instant bladder volume measurement in milliliters. However, there is a paucity of data assessing the validity of the new Butterfly iQ at the bedside. This study sought to compare the diagnostic accuracy and rated user convenience of the nursing bladder scanner, the cart-based ultrasound machine, and the Butterfly iQ auto-bladder volume tool. ED patients were prospectively enrolled and underwent bladder measurements in a randomized, pre-determined order with each modality. Measurements were subsequently compared to the gold standard of catheterization. Cart-based ultrasound had the highest agreement to catheterization when compared to the RN scanner and the Butterfly iQ. However, the Butterfly iQ and RN scanner were both considered more convenient measurement modalities than the cart-based ultrasound. The Butterfly iQ serves as a cost-effective alternative to cart-based ultrasound while providing greater general utility compared to bladder scanners.

Automatic tablet-based monoplane quantification of stroke volume and left ventricular ejection fraction: A comparative assessment against computer-based biplane and monoplane tools.

BACKGROUND: Point-of-care cardiovascular left ventricle ejection fraction (LVEF) quantification is established, but automatic tablet-based stroke volume (SV) quantification with handheld ultrasound (HAND) devices is unexplored. We evaluated a tablet-based monoplane LVEF and LV volume quantification tool (AutoEF) against a computer-based tool (Tomtec) for LVEF and SV quantification. METHODS: Patients underwent HAND scans, and LVEF and SV were quantified using AutoEF and computer-based software that utilized either apical four-chamber views (Auto Strain-monoplane [AS-mono]) or both apical four-chamber and apical two-chamber views (Auto Strain-biplane [AS-bi]). Correlation and Bland-Altman analysis were used to compare AutoEF with AS-mono and AS-bi. RESULTS: Out of 43 participants, eight were excluded. AutoEF showed a correlation of .83 [.69:.91] with AS-mono for LVEF and .68 [.44:.82] for SV. The correlation with AS-bi was .79 [.62:.89] for LVEF and .66 [.42:.81] for SV. The bias between AutoEF and AS-mono was 4.88% [3.15:6.61] for LVEF and 17.46 mL [12.99:21.92] for SV. The limits of agreement (LOA) were [-5.50:15.26]% for LVEF and [-8.02:42.94] mL for SV. The bias between AutoEF and AS-bi was 6.63% [5.31:7.94] for LVEF and 20.62 mL [16.18:25.05] for SV, with LOA of [-1.20:14.47]% for LVEF and [-4.71:45.94] mL for SV. CONCLUSION: LVEF quantification with AutoEF software was accurate and reliable, but SV quantification showed limitations, indicating non-interchangeability with neither AS-mono nor AS-bi. Further refinement of AutoEF is needed for reliable SV quantification at the point of care.

Point-of-care ultrasound to assess left ventricular ejection fraction in heart failure in unselected patients in primary care: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Heart failure (HF) is the most frequent cardiovascular pathology in primary care. Echocardiography is the gold standard for diagnosis, follow-up, and prognosis of HF. Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is of growing interest in daily practice. AIM: This study aimed to systematically review the literature to evaluate left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) assessment of unselected patients in primary care by non-expert physicians with cardiac POCUS (cPOCUS). METHODS: We searched in Medline, Embase, and Pubmed up to January 2024 for interventional and non-interventional studies assessing LVEF with cPOCUS in unselected patients with suspected or diagnosed HF in hospital or outpatient settings, performed by non-expert physicians. RESULTS: Forty-two studies were included, involving 6598 patients, of whom 60.2% were outpatients. LVEF was assessed by 351 non-expert physicians after an initial ultrasound training course. The LVEF was mainly assessed by visual estimation (90.2%). The most frequent views were parasternal long/short axis, and apical 4-chamber. The median time of cPOCUS was 8 minutes. A strong agreement was found (κ = 0.72 [0.63; 0.83]) compared to experts when using different types of ultrasound devices (hand-held and standard), and agreement was excellent (κ = 0.84 [0.71; 0.89]) with the same device. Training course combined a median of 4.5 hours for theory and 25 cPOCUS for practice. CONCLUSION: The use of cPOCUS by non-expert physicians after a short training course appears to be an accurate complementary tool for LVEF assessment in daily practice. Its diffusion in primary care could optimize patient management, without replacing specialist assessment.

Heart failure (HF) is the most frequent cardiovascular pathology in primary care. Echocardiography is the gold standard for its diagnosis, follow up and prognosis, especially for assessing left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), one of the essential hemodynamic cardiac markers. At a time when access to specialists is difficult, what if primary health care physicians had a tool that enabled them to sort and prioritize patients with suspected or diagnosed HF? Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is already used in daily medical practice to provide optimum bedside diagnostics and tailored medical cares. Thus, we conduct a systematic review up to January 2024, including 42 studies, gathering 6598 patients with suspected or diagnosed HF, with 60% of outpatients. After a brief theoretical and practical training (a median of 4.5 hours and 25 cardiac POCUS), 351 physicians without expertise in cardiac ultrasound (defined as "non-experts") evaluated LVEF in unselected patients with cardiac POCUS, then compared with the experts' assessment. A strong to excellent agreement was found between the two groups, depending on the type of ultrasound device used. The LVEF assessment using cardiac POCUS after a short training course appears to be an accurate complementary tool for non-expert physicians. Its diffusion in primary care could optimize patient management, without replacing specialist assessment.

It's Not Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome Until Dietl's is Ruled Out: A Case for Point of Care Renal Ultrasound.

BACKGROUND: Abdominal pain and vomiting are frequent complaints for pediatric patients presenting to the Emergency Department (ED). When a diagnosis such as chronic abdominal pain, cyclic vomiting, or abdominal migraine has previously been made, it can lead to diagnostic momentum and confirmation bias on behalf of the treating physician. Dietl's crisis is a commonly missed diagnosis in the pediatric population that presents with intermittent episodes of pain and vomiting. It can be readily diagnosed at the bedside by the emergency physician (EP) through the employment of point of care ultrasound (POCUS). CASE SERIES: We present two cases of pediatric patients with episodic abdominal pain and vomiting who were previously diagnosed with cyclic vomiting syndrome. In both cases, pediatric gastroenterology evaluations had occurred with negative diagnostic testing having been performed. Both patients also presented to their primary pediatrician and the ED multiple times with each encounter resulting in treatment of symptoms and discharge. Each patient eventually presented to the ED when an EP was present who performed a renal POCUS. In each patient, the POCUS revealed severe unilateral hydronephrosis. Subsequent workup confirmed the diagnosis of Dietl's crisis as the etiology of symptoms. WHY SHOULD AN EMERGENCY PHYSICIAN BE AWARE OF THIS?: In pediatric patients, EPs should be wary of the diagnosis of cyclic vomiting syndrome until ureteral obstruction has been ruled out. A bedside POCUS can rapidly establish this diagnosis and potentially preclude recurrent health care visits, unnecessary diagnostic testing, and permanent loss of renal function.

POCUS literature primer: key papers on cardiac and lung POCUS.

OBJECTIVE: Although point of care ultrasound (POCUS) use has become prevalent in medicine, clinicians may not be familiar with the evidence supporting its utility in patient care. The objective of this study is to identify the top five most influential papers published on the use of cardiac POCUS and lung POCUS in adult patients. METHODS: A 14-member expert panel from the Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians (CAEP) Emergency Ultrasound Committee and the Canadian Ultrasound Fellowship Collaborative used a modified Delphi process. Panel members are ultrasound fellowship trained or equivalent, are engaged in POCUS scholarship, and are leaders in POCUS locally and nationally in Canada. The modified Delphi process consisted of three rounds of sequential surveys and discussion to achieve consensus on the top five most influential papers on cardiac POCUS and lung POCUS. RESULTS: A total of 66 relevant papers on cardiac POCUS and 68 relevant papers on lung POCUS were nominated by the panel. There was 100% participation by the panel members in all three rounds of the modified Delphi process. At the end of this process, we identified the top five most influential papers on cardiac POCUS and lung POCUS. Papers include studies supporting the use of POCUS for accurately assessing left ventricular systolic function, diagnosing pericardial effusion, clarifying its test characteristics for pulmonary embolism, identifying pulmonary edema and pneumonia, as well as consensus statements on the use of cardiac and lung POCUS in clinical practice. CONCLUSION: We have created a list of the top five influential papers on cardiac POCUS and lung POCUS as an evidence-based resource for trainees, clinicians, and researchers. This will help trainees and clinicians better understand how to use POCUS when scanning the heart and lungs, and it will also help researchers better understand where to direct their scholarly efforts with future research.

RéSUMé: OBJECTIF: Bien que l'utilisation de l'échographie par point de soins (POCUS) soit devenue courante en médecine, les cliniciens ne sont peut-être pas familiarisés avec les données probantes qui appuient son utilité dans les soins aux patients. Cette étude a pour objectif d'identifier les cinq articles les plus influents publiés sur l'utilisation de la POCUS cardiaque et pulmonaire chez des patients adultes. MéTHODES: Un groupe d'experts composé de 14 membres du Comité des échographies d'urgence de l'Association canadienne des médecins d'urgence (ACEP) et du Canadian Ultrasound Fellowship Collaborative a utilisé un processus Delphi modifié. Les membres du comité sont des stagiaires en échographie ou l'équivalent, ils participent à des activités de recherche sur le POCUS et sont des chefs de file au niveau local et national au Canada. Le processus Delphi modifié consistait en trois rondes de sondages séquentiels et de discussions pour parvenir à un consensus sur les cinq articles les plus influents sur la POCUS cardiaque et la POCUS pulmonaire. RéSULTATS: Le panel a proposé un total de 66 articles pertinents sur la POCUS cardiaque et 68 documents pertinents sur la POCUS pulmonaire. Les membres du groupe ont participé à 100 % aux trois rondes du processus Delphi modifié. À la fin de ce processus, nous avons identifié les cinq principaux articles les plus influents sur le POCUS cardiaque et le POCUS pulmonaire. Les articles comprennent des études soutenant l'utilisation de POCUS pour évaluer avec précision la fonction systolique du ventricule gauche, diagnostiquer le épanchement péricardique, clarifier ses caractéristiques de test pour l'embolie pulmonaire, identifier l'œdème pulmonaire et la pneumonie, ainsi que des déclarations de consensus sur l'utilisation du POCUS cardiaque et pulmonaire dans la pratique clinique. CONCLUSION: Nous avons dressé une liste des cinq principaux articles influents sur le POCUS cardiaque et le POCUS pulmonaire en tant que ressource fondée sur des données probantes pour les stagiaires, les cliniciens et les chercheurs. Cela aidera les stagiaires et les cliniciens à mieux comprendre comment utiliser le POCUS pour scanner le cœur et les poumons, et cela aidera également les chercheurs à mieux comprendre où orienter leurs efforts scientifiques dans la recherche future.

Point of Care Ultrasound Guided Management of Lateral Ankle Sprains: A Case Series.

Background: Lateral ankle sprain (LAS) is a common injury with incidence rates reported at 7.2 per 1000 person-years. Physical examination strategies provide limited information to guide rehabilitation that can maximize clinical outcomes. Early and accurate diagnostic information using ultrasound imaging enables individualized care and the ability to monitor healing along with its response to activity and rehabilitation. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to describe and observe the outcomes associated with Point of Care Ultrasound (POCUS) guided early management of acute and sub-acute lateral ankle sprains. Study Design: Case series. Methods: Individuals with a LAS within the prior 28 days underwent a clinical evaluation to include a POCUS exam to assess ligamentous integrity. Objective and POCUS findings were integrated to classify each LAS into one of four categories. Each grade of ankle sprain corresponded to levels of bracing for the protection of injured structures with each patient receiving physical therapy care based on rehabilitation guidelines. Participants completed the Foot and Ankle Ability Measure (FAAM) activities of daily living and Sports subscale, the Foot and Ankle Outcome Score (FAOS), Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information Systems Global Health, Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia (TSK-11), Cumberland Ankle Instability Tool (CAIT), and the Numeric Pain Rating Scale as well as the Ankle Lunge Test and Figure 8 measurements at baseline, 4 weeks, 8 weeks and 12 weeks post enrollment. The FAAM Sport subscale, all FAOS subscales, and the TSK-11 were also collected at 24 weeks while the CAIT was collected at baseline and 24 weeks. Results: Fourteen participants were enrolled with 11 participants completing all data collection. FAAM Sport scores significantly improved at 4, 8, 12 and 24 weeks. All components of the FAOS significantly increased except for Sport scores at four weeks and Quality of Life scores at four and eight weeks. Conclusion: POCUS guided early management and ligamentous protection of LASs resulted in significant short and long-term improvement in function and return to sporting activity. This case series highlights the feasibility of using ultrasound imaging to assess the severity of ligamentous injury and align bracing strategies for ligamentous protection. The observations from this case series suggest that functional bracing strategies focused on ligamentous protection to promote healing and reduce re-injury rates does not delay improvement in functional outcomes. Level of Evidence: Level IV, Case Series.

Triple Threat: A Case Presentation of Pulmonary Embolism With Diabetic Ketoacidosis and Lower Respiratory Tract Infection.

This case report details the diagnostic challenges and management of a middle-aged man who presented with complaints of fever and breathlessness. He was initially suspected of lower respiratory tract infection and diabetic ketoacidosis on clinical examination and treated with intravenous fluids, antibiotics, and insulin infusion. The point of care ultrasound (POCUS), as part of the primary survey, showed right atrium (RA)-right ventricle (RV) dilation and a D-shaped left ventricle, which was highly suspicious of pulmonary embolism and was later confirmed with computed tomography pulmonary angiogram (CTPA). The patient was successfully managed for pulmonary embolism, diabetic ketoacidosis, and lower respiratory tract infection.

The utility of point-of-care dynamic ultrasonography for the diagnosis of subtle isolated ligamentous Lisfranc injuries: a cadaveric study.

OBJECTIVES: To assess if Lisfranc injury can be detected by US with and without abduction stress. METHODS: Eight cadaveric feet were obtained. The following measurements were obtained in the uninjured feet: C1M2 and C1C2 intervals and TMT1 and TMT2 dorsal step-off distances. Measurements were obtained both with and without abduction stress using ultrasound. The injury model was created by transecting the Lisfranc ligament complex, after which the observers performed the measurements again. Statistical analysis was used to identify differences between intact and injured models, to determine diagnostic cut-off values for identifying Lisfranc injuries, and to assess interobserver/intraobserver reliability. RESULTS: There was a significant difference in the mean C1M2 interval, both with and without abduction stress, between the intact and torn Lisfranc ligament (p < 0.001). A C1M2 interval with stress of > 2.03 mm yielded 81% sensitivity and 72% specificity for Lisfranc disruption. There was no significant difference in the mean C1C2 interval of the torn versus intact Lisfranc ligament without stress (p = 0.10); however, the distance was significantly different with the application of stress (p < 0.001). The C1C2 interval of > 1.78 mm yielded 72% sensitivity and 69% specificity for Lisfranc injury under stress. There were no significant differences in the mean TMT1 or TMT2 dorsal step-off measurements between the intact and torn Lisfranc ligaments. All observers showed good intraobserver ICCs. The interobserver ICCs for all measurements were good or excellent, except for TMT1, which was moderate. CONCLUSION: Ultrasonography is a promising point-of-care imaging tool to detect Lisfranc ligamentous injuries when measuring C1M2 and C1C2 distances under abduction stress.

Two-week intensive medical student point-of-care ultrasound training impact on long term utilization.

BACKGROUND: There is little to no data evaluating long term usage of point of care ultrasound (POCUS) after a training intervention for medical students. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of an intensive POCUS training program on medical student's usage at 9-months post-program. METHODS: This was a prospective cross-sectional study of rising second year medical students who participated in a 2-week summer POCUS training program. Instruction consisted of 8 h of asynchronous online didactic material, 2-4 h of daily hands-on instructor-led and independent scanning, and instruction on how to teach POCUS. Students were assessed pre- and post-program, and again at 9 months post-program to evaluate POCUS usage. RESULTS: A total of 56 students participated in the program over 2 summers; 52 (92.9%) responded to the 9-month post-program survey. At 9 months, 49 (94.2%) of students taught POCUS after the program to peers or faculty. Students reported serving as a POCUS instructor in 283 subsequent teaching sessions accounting for 849 h of POCUS instruction time. Six (11.5%) students were involved in the creation of a POCUS interest group on their regional campus, 7 (13%) created a POCUS curriculum for their student interest group, and 4 (7.7%) created an opt-in co-curricular POCUS program for students at their regional campus. Three (5.8%) students did not serve as educators after the program and only one student reported not using POCUS again after the program. CONCLUSION: After a 2-week intensive POCUS training program for medical students, the majority of students demonstrated continued involvement in POCUS learning and education at 9-month follow-up including serving as peer instructors and assisting with limitations in financial resources and trained faculty.

Beyond the Splanchnic Area: Extra-splanchnic Thrombosis in Acute Pancreatitis.

Acute pancreatitis (AP) is an inflammatory condition with varied clinical presentations. Local complications include peripancreatic fluid collection, acute necrotic collection, walled-off necrosis, and pancreatic pseudocyst, but vascular complications like pseudoaneurysm and venous thrombosis are also reported. Patients often experience splanchnic venous thrombosis, which can affect the splenic vein, portal vein, and superior mesenteric vein individually or in combination. Rarely, extra-splanchnic venous thrombosis, including renal vein, superior vena cava, and inferior vena cava thrombosis, has been reported in cases of chronic pancreatitis. The formation of a venous thrombus in acute pancreatitis is multifaceted, with pancreatic inflammation and the immune response mounted by the patient playing a significant role. There is a dearth of medical literature regarding extra-splanchnic venous thrombosis and the use of therapeutic anticoagulation in the successful treatment of the above-mentioned complication. This case report highlights the rare complications that can be seen in cases of acute pancreatitis.

Multicenter validation study for automated left ventricular ejection fraction assessment using a handheld ultrasound with artificial intelligence.

We sought to validate the ability of a novel handheld ultrasound device with an artificial intelligence program (AI-POCUS) that automatically assesses left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). AI-POCUS was used to prospectively scan 200 patients in two Japanese hospitals. Automatic LVEF by AI-POCUS was compared to the standard biplane disk method using high-end ultrasound machines. After excluding 18 patients due to infeasible images for AI-POCUS, 182 patients (63 ± 15 years old, 21% female) were analyzed. The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) between the LVEF by AI-POCUS and the standard methods was good (0.81, p < 0.001) without clinically meaningful systematic bias (mean bias -1.5%, p = 0.008, limits of agreement ± 15.0%). Reduced LVEF < 50% was detected with a sensitivity of 85% (95% confidence interval 76%-91%) and specificity of 81% (71%-89%). Although the correlations between LV volumes by standard-echo and those by AI-POCUS were good (ICC > 0.80), AI-POCUS tended to underestimate LV volumes for larger LV (overall bias 42.1 mL for end-diastolic volume). These trends were mitigated with a newer version of the software tuned using increased data involving larger LVs, showing similar correlations (ICC > 0.85). In this real-world multicenter study, AI-POCUS showed accurate LVEF assessment, but careful attention might be necessary for volume assessment. The newer version, trained with larger and more heterogeneous data, demonstrated improved performance, underscoring the importance of big data accumulation in the field.