Point-of-Care Ultrasound in the Prehospital Setting

A deep dive into the use of point-of-care sonography in the field
You're working on an ALS unit dispatched to an unconscious patient who is now in cardiac arrest. First responders work in concert to administer high-performance CPR.
As you enter the home and lay eyes on your patient, a colleague gives you a brief report and concludes that the automated external defibrillator (AED) advised not to deliver a shock.
You and your partner quickly ensure that effective CPR is underway. You gain vascular access and push epinephrine and, without compression interruption, establish an advanced airway. Your end-tidal carbon dioxide is calibrating and, during the next rhythm check, you quickly ascertain that the patient still lacks a palpable pulse.
High-performance CPR is continued as you transition the patient to your monitor.
At first glance, you see what appears to be an organized narrow complex rhythm at a rate of 95 beats per minute, although your patient still lacks a palpable pulse.
As your own heart rate begins to rise, you deftly wipe away the sweat from your brow and contemplate the next intervention.
How do you organize the limited physiologic and historic data you've acquired over the last few minutes? You decide to refine your protocol to follow the ACLS algorithm for pulseless electrical activity (PEA).
After intubating, you notice the left chest wall isn't rising. Is this evidence of a tension pneumothorax from positive pressure ventilation, or could it be a right main-ste...

Source: JEMS Patient Care - February 1, 2018 Category: Emergency Medicine Authors: Faizan H. Arshad, MD Tags: Patient Care Source Type: news