Early and focused ultrasonography in physical trauma
FAST can be beneficial for patients with unstable blood circulation (systolic blood pressure ≤90 mmHg) in whom bleeding is detected, since they can be transferred directly to surgery. The advantages, in comparison to computed tomography (CT), are that the processing time is shorter and patients are...
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| Format: | eBook |
| Language: | English |
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Stockholm
Swedish Council on Health Technology Assessment (SBU)
2010, 2010
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| Series: | SBU alert report
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| Online Access: | |
| Collection: | National Center for Biotechnology Information - Collection details see MPG.ReNa |
| Summary: | FAST can be beneficial for patients with unstable blood circulation (systolic blood pressure ≤90 mmHg) in whom bleeding is detected, since they can be transferred directly to surgery. The advantages, in comparison to computed tomography (CT), are that the processing time is shorter and patients are not subjected to radiation. 3. In the studies, the FAST method was used by emergency physicians or surgeons that had received some form of special education and training. There are too few studies to determine the extent of the education and training required for optimum results. 4. The scientific evidence is insufficient to determine the method's diagnostic accuracy in identifying blood in the pericardium. Additional studies are required to determine the benefits and risks in patients subjected to chest trauma. 5. The scientific evidence is insufficient to draw any conclusions on the cost-effectiveness of the method. Background Focused Assessment with Sonography for Trauma (FAST) is an ultrasound examination used in the early management of patients subjected to physical trauma. The aim is to detect the presence of free blood in the abdomen or pericardium. FAST cannot be used to confirm or rule out injuries in the internal organs. Most of the studies on this topic present results from abdominal examinations. Within the framework of this assessment we found only a single study that presented results from examining the pericardium. 1. The accuracy of the method in detecting free abdominal blood is good, assuming that the practitioner has the appropriate education and training. Between 69% and 100% of these hemorrhages are detected, depending on the practitioner's skill. Hence, education and training are a prerequisite for achieving high sensitivity and subsequently a high level of patient safety. Specificity, however, is consistently high - between 96% and 100%. 2. However, if the practitioner has sufficient education and training to assure high diagnostic accuracy, FAST can be cost-effective since the additional costs of the method are low |
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| Physical Description: | 1 PDF file (4 pages) |