Emergency room use of transvaginal ultrasonography by obstetrics and gynecology residents.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and diagnostic value of the emergency room use of transvaginal ultrasonography operated by the obstetrics and gynecology residents.


METHODS
One hundred sixty-eight patients scanned in the emergency room constituted the study group and were compared with 61 patients for whom emergency room scanning was not available. Scanning and no-scanning days alternated for a 6-month period. The Student t test was used in the analysis.


RESULTS
By comparing the two patient groups a statistically significant (p less than 0.0001) difference was seen in the time spent by the group of patients scanned in the emergency room (40 minutes) when compared with that of the patients for whom no emergency room scanning was available (215 minutes). The residents expressed high confidence in the scanning procedure. There were six misdiagnosed cases, three of them nonruptured ectopic gestations. However, none of these patients was discharged without adequate treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
The study confirmed our hypothesis that obstetrics and gynecology residents can operate and should have available ultrasonography machines in the emergency departments to render quicker and better patient care.
Timor-Tritsch
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I
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center, New York, NY 10032.
Greenidge
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S
Admon
D
D
Reuss
M L
ML
D004502:Education, Medical, Continuing; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D007396:Internship and Residency; D009775:Obstetrics and Gynecology Department, Hospital; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*