title: Emergency department ultrasound in the evaluation of blunt abdominal trauma.
abstract: The main objective of this study was to compare bedside sonographic detection of hemoperitoneum with diagnostic peritoneal lavage/laparotomy in the patient with blunt abdominal trauma. A retrospective review was conducted of all blunt trauma patients that underwent emergency department (bedside) sonography to rule out intraperitoneal hemorrhage at a level I trauma center in 1991 to 1992. Patients were included in the study population only if: (1) the results of the ultrasound examination were interpreted before any other diagnostic studies, and (2) a diagnostic peritoneal lavage (DPL) or laparotomy was performed. The ultrasound examination consisted of a single right inter/subcostal longitudinal view with the patient in the trendelenburg position performed by the emergency physician or surgeon. A real-time sector scanner with a 3.5 MHz probe was used. The presence of an anechoic (black) stripe between the liver and the right kidney (Morrison's pouch) was interpreted as a positive study, and the absence of this finding was interpreted as a negative study. A positive DPL was defined as > or = 10 mL of gross blood or a blood cell count > or = 100,000/mm3 in the returned lavage fluid, and a positive laparotomy as > or = 100 mL of intraperitoneal blood. Forty-four patients met the inclusion criteria for the study. Eleven patients (24%) in this population had either a positive DPL or laparotomy. The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of bedside sonography in identifying intraperitoneal hemorrhage was 81.8%, 93.9%, and 90.9%, respectively. The ultrasound study provided an answer in less than 1 minute in most patients.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Erie County Medical Center, State University of New York at Buffalo 14215.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Jehle
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Guarino
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Karamanoukian
mesh_terms: D000007:Abdominal Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D005188:False Negative Reactions; D005189:False Positive Reactions; D006465:Hemoperitoneum / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010533:Peritoneal Lavage; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014463:Ultrasonography; D014949:Wounds, Nonpenetrating / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*