Intro: Prior studies have reported conflicting results regarding the utility of ultrasound in the diagnosis of traumatic pneumothorax (PTX) because they have used sonologists with extensive experience. This study evaluates the characteristics of ultrasound for PTX for a large cohort of trauma and emergency physicians.
Conclusion: In a large heterogenous group of clinicians who typically care for trauma patients, the sonographic evaluation for pneumothorax was as accurate as supine chest radiography. Thoracic ultrasound may be helpful in the initial evaluation of patients with truncal trauma.
An 80-year old man referred to the emergency department for chest pain and dyspnea on exertion reported a medical history of left pulmonary tuberculosis in babyhood, treated by therapeutic pneumothorax.This was commonly used to treat tuberculosis prior to the development of antimycobacterial agents. Successful therapeutic…
Introduction: Many traumatic pneumothoraces (PTX) are not seen on initial chest radiograph (CR) (occult PTX) but are detected only on computed tomography (CT). The primary objective of this study was to retrospectively determine the effectiveness of CR for detecting PTX in trauma patients.
Conclusion: Factors associated with PTX on CR included air in the soft tissue on CR and size of the PTX. Even when PTX is not apparent on CR, 44% of these PTXs received placement of a chest tube.
A two-year-old male presented to the emergency department (ED) with a four-day history of evening tactile fevers, measured to 38.1ºC at home, associated with a worsening cough, congestion, mild diarrhea, emesis, decreased oral intake and level of activity.
