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Article Type

Original Study

Abstract

Objective The aim of this study was to evaluate the results of focused assessment with sonography for trauma (FAST) in hemodynamically unstable blunt traumatized patients and to determine its role in the diagnostic evaluation of these patients. Background The emergency physician faces significant clinical uncertainty when a multiple trauma patient arrives in the emergency department. Patients are assessed, and their treatment priorities are established in the primary survey. FAST is an important skill during trauma resuscitation. The use of point-of-care ultrasound among the trauma team working in the primary survey in emergency care settings is lacking in Menoufia university hospitals. Patients and methods This study was conducted on 50 patients with blunt abdominal trauma, either a localized trauma to the abdomen or a polytrauma with a blunt mechanism. The patients were assessed in the primary survey using the FAST as a tool to determine the presence of intra-abdominal collection. Results There were a total of 50 cases, and FAST scans were performed in all cases. The sensitivity and specificity were 92.6 and 100%, respectively. The negative predictive value was 92%, whereas the positive predictive value was 100%. The overall accuracy was 96%. Conclusion FAST with presence of free fluid intraperitoneal without reference to the amont is useful as the initial diagnostic tool for abdominal trauma to detect intra-abdominal fluid in hemodynamically unstable patients. FAST performed by clinicians detects intraperitoneal fluid with a high degree of accuracy. All FAST examinations are valuable tests when positive. However, ultrasound examination is operator dependent, and FAST scan has its own limitations. For negative FAST scan cases, we recommend a period of monitoring, serial FAST scans, or further investigations, such as computed tomography scan.

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