Transport and Use of Point-of-Care Ultrasound by a Disaster Medical Assistance Team

2009 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 140-144 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefan M. Mazur ◽  
James Rippey
Keyword(s):  
Point Of Care ◽  
Clinical Information ◽  
Mass Casualty Incident ◽  
Mass Casualty ◽  
Disaster Medicine ◽  
Point Of Care Ultrasound ◽  
Medical Assistance ◽  
Portable Ultrasound ◽  
Detailed Clinical Information

AbstractThe role of ultrasound in disaster medicine has not been not well established. This report describes the transport and use of point-of-care ultrasound by Disaster Medical Assistance Team (DMAT) responding to a mass-casualty incident due to a cyclone. Ultrasound-competent physicians on the team were able to use portable ultrasound on cyclone casualties to exclude intra-abdominal hemorrhage, peri cardial fluid, pneumothoraces, and hemothoraces Information obtained using ultrasound made initial patient management, and subsequent decisions regarding triage for transport safer and based on more detailed clinical information.

scholarly journals Next Level Triage: Applications of Point-of-Care Ultrasound in Disaster Response and Recovery

2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (s1) ◽  
pp. s152-s152
Author(s):  
Tyler Stannard ◽  
E. Liang Liu ◽  
Lindsay A. Flax ◽  
Raymond E. Swienton ◽  
Kelly R. Klein ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Real Time ◽  
Disaster Response ◽  
Point Of Care ◽  
Prehospital Care ◽  
Mass Casualty ◽  
Disaster Medicine ◽  
Point Of Care Ultrasound ◽  
Potential Growth ◽  
Resource Limited ◽  
Response And Recovery

Introduction:Ultrasound applications are widespread, and their utility in resource-limited environments are numerous. In disasters, the use of ultrasound can help reallocate resources by guiding decisions on management and transportation priorities. These interventions can occur on-scene, at triage collection points, during transport, and at the receiving medical facility. Literature related to this specific topic is limited. However, literature regarding prehospital use of ultrasound, ultrasound in combat situations, and some articles specific to disaster medicine allude to the potential growth of ultrasound utilization in disaster response.Aim:To evaluate the utility of point-of-care ultrasound in a disaster response based on studies involving ultrasonography in resource-limited environments.Methods:A narrative review of MEDLINE, MEDLINE InProcess, EPub, and Embase found 20 articles for inclusion.Results:Experiences from past disasters, prehospital care, and combat experiences have demonstrated the value of ultrasound both as a diagnostic and interventional modality.Discussion:Current literature supports the use of ultrasound in disaster response as a real-time, portable, safe, reliable, repeatable, easy-to-use, and accurate tool. While both false positives and false negatives were reported in prehospital studies, these values correlate to accepted false positive and negative rates of standard in-hospital point-of-care ultrasound exams. Studies involving austere environments demonstrate the ability to apply ultrasound in extreme conditions and to obtain high-quality images with only modest training and real-time remote guidance. The potential for point-of-care ultrasound in triage and management of mass casualty incidents is there. However, as these studies are heterogeneous and observational in nature, further research is needed as to how to integrate ultrasound into the response and recovery phases.

Telemedicine-guided point-of-care ultrasound can be feasible and effective in a life-threatening situation: The case of a field hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tarso Accorsi ◽  
Karine De Amicis Lima ◽  
Alexandra Brigido ◽  
Deborah Belfort ◽  
Fabio Habrum ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Point Of Care ◽  
Image Interpretation ◽  
Acquisition Time ◽  
Point Of Care Ultrasound ◽  
Field Hospital ◽  
Portable Ultrasound ◽  
Local Staff ◽  
Assessment Protocol ◽  
Life Threatening ◽  
Threatening Situation

BACKGROUND Lightweight portable ultrasound is widely available, especially in inaccessible geographical areas. It demonstrates effectiveness and diagnosis improvement even in field conditions but no precise information about protocols, acquisition time, image interpretation, and the relevance in changing medical conduct exists. The COVID-19 pandemic implied many severe cases and the rapid construction of field hospitals with massive general practitioner (GP) recruitment. OBJECTIVE This prospective and descriptive study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of telemedicine guidance using a standardized multi-organ sonographic assessment protocol in untrained GPs during a COVID-19 emergency in a field hospital. METHODS Eleven COVID-19 in-patients presenting life-threatening complications, attended by local staff who spontaneously requested on-time teleconsultation, were enrolled. All untrained doctors successfully positioned the transducer and obtained key images guided by a remote doctor via telemedicine, with remote interpretation of the findings. RESULTS Only four (36%) general practitioners obtained the appropriate key heart image on the left parasternal long axis window, and three (27%) had an image interpreted remotely on-time. The evaluation time ranged from seven to 42 minutes, with a mean of 22.7 + 12. CONCLUSIONS Telemedicine is effective in guiding GPs to perform portable ultrasound in life-threatening situations, showing effectiveness in conducting decisions.

scholarly journals Corrigendum to Defining the Role of Point-of-Care Ultrasound in Cardiovascular Disease [The American Journal of Cardiology 122 (2018) 1443-1450]

2019 ◽  
Vol 123 (4) ◽  
pp. 706-707
Author(s):  
Lara C. Kovell ◽  
Mays T. Ali ◽  
Allison G. Hays ◽  
Thorr S. Metkus ◽  
Jose A. Madrazo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cardiovascular Disease ◽  
Point Of Care ◽  
Point Of Care Ultrasound

scholarly journals Curriculum mapping for Focused Acute Medicine Ultrasound (FAMUS)

2018 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 168-168
Author(s):  
Karim Fouad Alber ◽  
◽  
Martin Dachsel ◽  
Alastair Gilmore ◽  
Philip Lawrenson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Focused Ultrasound ◽  
Point Of Care ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
Response To Treatment ◽  
Point Of Care Ultrasound ◽  
Curriculum Mapping ◽  
Acute Medicine ◽  
Portable Ultrasound ◽  
Sonographic Assessment ◽  
Radiology Training

Dear sir/madam, Point of care ultrasound (POCUS) in the hands of the non-radiologist has seen a steady growth in popularity amongst emergency, intensive care and acute medical physicians. Increased accessibility to portable, purpose-built ultrasound machines has meant that clinicians often have access to a safe and non-invasive tool to enhance their management of the unwell. Focused Acute Medicine Ultrasound (FAMUS) is the point of care ultrasound curriculum created to aid the management of the acutely unwell adult patient. Following a survey of trainees and consultants, it was apparent that there was a strong desire for Acute Medics to be able to use point of care ultrasound to aid their clinical diagnostic skills. The FAMUS committee was set up to develop competencies using the evidence base available. FAMUS stands in contrast to traditional radiology training modules, which focus on carrying out comprehensive assessments of anatomy and pathology. Instead, FAMUS delivers a syndrome-based sonographic assessment with the aim of ruling out gross pathology and interrogating underlying physiology. It serves as a useful adjunct to history and clinical examination by way of providing key information quickly and non-invasively. Furthermore, it provides a feasible way to monitor response to treatment or progression of disease and thereby providing useful dynamic information quickly and safely. The accreditation in FAMUS involves the sonographic assessment of three systems: lung, abdomen and the deep veins of the lower-limb. Accrediting in each one involves theoretical learning, a formal course attendance and achieving a set number of supervised and mentored scans. As well as technical skills, the candidate must demonstrate competence in recognising key pathology and drawing appropriate conclusions about each scan, including when to refer for departmental imaging. FAMUS was met with enthusiasm by trainees and consultants in acute medicine, and its popularity rises as more courses are becoming available for accreditation paired with increasing access to portable ultrasound units. It is envisioned that this will continue to grow and formal ‘train the trainer’ courses have been held in order to increase the pool of available supervisors. Currently, FAMUS is endorsed by the Society for Acute Medicine and recognised by the AIM training committee as a specialist skill that can be undertaken during specialist training. It has been proposed that FAMUS should be considered for integration into the acute internal medicine (AIM) curriculum, which will be re-written for 2022 in line with the GMC’s revised standards for curriculum and assessment. Thus we present in this letter, a curriculum mapping exercise that utilises a ‘knowledge, skills, behaviours’ framework in order to be considered for the AIM curriculum rewrite. We believe this will provide a standard and framework to integrate focused ultrasound in AIM training programmes with the aim of ultimately incorporating FAMUS as a core skill for all AIM trainees.

The Role of Lung Ultrasound Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A review article

2021 ◽  
Vol 17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mustafa J. Musa ◽  
Mohamed Yousef ◽  
Mohammed Adam ◽  
Awadalla Wagealla ◽  
Lubna Boshara ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Lung Ultrasound ◽  
Point Of Care ◽  
Power Doppler ◽  
Doppler Imaging ◽  
Point Of Care Ultrasound ◽  
Institute Of Medicine ◽  
Pubmed Central ◽  
Contrast Enhanced ◽  
Ultrasound Findings

: Lung ultrasound [LUS] has evolved considerably over the last years. The aim of the current review is to conduct a systematic review reported from a number of studies to show the usefulness of [LUS] and point of care ultrasound for diagnosing COVID-19. A systematic search of electronic data was conducted including the national library of medicine, and the national institute of medicine, PubMed Central [PMC] to identify the articles depended on [LUS] to monitor COVID-19. This review highlights the ultrasound findings reported in articles before the pandemic [11], clinical articles before COVID-19 [14], review studies during the pandemic [27], clinical cases during the pandemic [5] and other varying aims articles. The reviewed studies revealed that ultrasound findings can be used to help in the detection and staging of the disease. The common patterns observed included irregular and thickened A-lines, multiple B-lines ranging from focal to diffuse interstitial consolidation, and pleural effusion. Sub-plural consolidation is found to be associated with the progression of the disease and its complications. Pneumothorax was not recorded for COVID-19 patients. Further improvement in the diagnostic performance of [LUS] for COVID-19 patients can be achieved by using elastography, contrast-enhanced ultrasound, and power Doppler imaging.

Abstract 421: Point of Care Ultrasound Sonography (POCUS) in Cardiac Arrest: Predicting Survivorship

Circulation ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 140 (Suppl_2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ada Wong ◽  
Hassan Patail ◽  
Sahar Ahmad
Keyword(s):  
Cardiac Arrest ◽  
Tricuspid Valve ◽  
Prospective Observational Study ◽  
Thrombus Formation ◽  
Point Of Care ◽  
Spontaneous Circulation ◽  
Point Of Care Ultrasound ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Flow Stasis

Introduction: Survival after in hospital (IH) cardiac arrest (CA) is at 17% suggesting that CA represents an arena of medical practice which deserves more attention. Ultrasound (US) may have a role in both intra-arrest management and peri-arrest prognosis. Very little is known about the role of ultrasound for IH CA. Hypothesis: Intra- arrest POCUS can provide prognostic value. Methods: This was a single center, prospective observational study and we included all IH CA which occurred when a provider was available to perform a standardized POCUS protocol. US and echocardiography imaging was collected during the intra- arrest period and compared with outcome measures of return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) and survival to 24 hours post-ROSC. Results: Echocardiographic features which may reflect survivorship include cardiac standstill, right ventricle (RV) blood flow stasis, and the appearance of thrombus formation at or around the tricuspid valve. 10 of 16 (62.50%) patients with cardiac standstill alone and 1 of 3 (33.33%) RV stasis alone did not achieve ROSC. Of those that did achieve ROSC in these two groups, none of the patients survived beyond 24 hours of the CA. 11 of 19 (57.89%) patients with RV stasis in combination with cardiac standstill did not achieve ROSC, and of the remaining 8 patients that achieved ROSC, only 1 patient survived past 24 hours. The combination of cardiac standstill, RV stasis, and tricuspid valve thrombus had 2 of 3 (66.67%) patients fail to achieve ROSC, with the remaining 1 patient surviving only to 24 hours. The presence of cardiac standstill alone confers an association with death, with an odds ratio (OR) of 1.212. RV stasis plus cardiac standstill on intra-arrest POCUS confer a markedly higher OR 0.8250 in association with death. Conclusions: Our preliminary work brings to light the role of POCUS for predicting short term survivorship based on echocardiographic patient features. This may have implications for resource utilization in such events.

Disaster Response to a Mass Casualty Incident in a Hospital Fire by Regional Disaster Medical Assistance Team: Characteristics of Hospital Fire

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-4
Author(s):  
Jae Ho Jang ◽  
Jin-Seong Cho ◽  
Youg Su Lim ◽  
Sung Youl Hyun ◽  
Jae-Hyug Woo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Medical Records ◽  
Medical Staff ◽  
Disaster Response ◽  
Fire Department ◽  
Treatment Method ◽  
Mass Casualty Incident ◽  
Mass Casualty ◽  
Medical Assistance ◽  
Fire Disaster ◽  
Field Triage

ABSTRACT Objective: A disaster in the hospital is particularly serious and quite different from other ordinary disasters. This study aimed at analyzing the activity outcomes of a disaster medical assistance team (DMAT) for a fire disaster at the hospital. Methods: The data which was documented by a DMAT and emergent medical technicians of a fire department contained information about the patient’s characteristics, medical records, triage results, and the hospital which the patient was transferred from. Patients were categorized into four groups according to results of field triage using the simple triage and rapid treatment method. Results: DMAT arrived on the scene in 37 minutes. One hundred and thirty eight (138) patients were evacuated from the disaster scene. There were 25 patients (18.1%) in the Red group, 96 patients (69.6%) in the Yellow group, and 1 patient (0.7%) in the Green group. One patient died. There were 16 (11.6%) medical staff and hospital employees. The injury of the caregiver or the medical staff was more severe compared to the family protector. Conclusions: For an effective disaster-response system in hospital disasters, it is important to secure the safety of medical staff, to utilize available medical resources, to secure patients’ medical records, and to reorganize the DMAT dispatch system.

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