Procedures

This study from the American Journal of Emergency Medicine sought to compare liver trauma evaluation techniques using traditional ultrasound versus contrast-enhanced ultrasound. Radiologist and emergency medicine physicians performed both conventional ultrasound and contrast-enhanced ultrasound evaluations on rabbit livers that had sustained blunt trauma…

SONOSIM SUMMARY: In this study, physicians with no prior training in ultrasound-guided vascular access (UGVA) received UGVA training with either traditional didactic instruction, or with a Web-based procedural training program. After training was complete, participant UGVA aptitude was accessed. Results showed no significant differences in mean objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) or written test scores, …

This study published in the American Journal of Emergency Medicine aimed to assess the potential benefits of ultrasound for distal radius fracture manipulation and reduction.

SONOSIM SUMMARY: This study published in the American Journal of Emergency Medicine illustrated that emergency physicians demonstrate high levels of proficiency when using ultrasound to facilitate lumbar puncture. In the study, emergency physicians were able to quickly locate multiple anatomical landmarks significant to performing the procedure. Ferre RM, Sweeney TW. Emergency physicians can easily obtain …

SONOSIM SUMMARY: In this prospective randomized study, two groups of emergency department patients with shoulder dislocations received either ketamine sedation analgesia or an ultrasound-guided suprascapular nerve block to facilitate shoulder reduction. Results demonstrated that patients in the group which underwent ultrasound-guided nerve blocks had a significantly shorter emergency department stay. Additionally, no statistical significance was …

SONOSIM SUMMARY: A study published in the American Journal of Emergency Medicine has demonstrated that using a patellar cupping technique while performing knee ultrasounds may increase ultrasound sensitivity for detecting knee effusions. The technique involves “placing pressure on the medial side of the patella, in the infrapatellar pouch and on the lower side of the …