title: Unexpected findings on point-of-care superficial ultrasound imaging before incision and drainage.
abstract: Cutaneous abscesses are typically incised and drained on the basis of clinical assessment. In most cases this procedure is a safe practice. We report 6 cases in which point-of-care ultrasound interrogation of obvious abscesses revealed potential serious complications with planned incision and drainage. Management was altered in 5 of 6 cases, and potential vascular disasters were avoided. In 1 case, the ultrasound results were ignored, and incision and drainage was completed, confirming the suspected abscess was indeed a solid mass later diagnosed as a carcinoma. In this case series, point-of-care ultrasound interrogation provided rapid assessment and discovery of potentially catastrophic anatomic relationships, avoiding serious complications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, North-side Hospital Forsyth, Cumming, GA 30041 USA. mike@blaivas.org
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Blaivas
authors.forename: Srikar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Adhikari
mesh_terms: D000038:Abscess / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery*; D000328:Adult; D017541:Aneurysm, False / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D002406:Catheterization, Peripheral / Q000009:adverse effects; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004322:Drainage; D005260:Female; D046449:Hernia, Abdominal / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008080:Liposarcoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019095:Point-of-Care Systems; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control*; D017534:Radial Artery; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery*; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D014463:Ultrasonography; D014846:Vulvar Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery