Advantages of critical care ultrasound in primary survey: the experience of a medium size Emergency Department

Results In 23.22% of cases CCUS were performed for dyspnea, 16.85% for thoracic pain, 29.58% for abdominal pain, 13.85% for trauma, 9.36% were CUS, 4 in cardiac arrest settings and 10 to guide invasive procedures. CCUS was crucial in 23.97% of patients, supported clinical data in 41.57% of cases, ruled out diagnosis in 32.58% of subjects, was misleading in 1.87% of cases. The correspondence between PS and discharge diagnosis (A+B) achieved 65.54%. A definitive diagnosis was made in 83.87% of dyspnea, in 76% of CUS, in 64.55% of abdominal pain and in 53.33% of thoracic pain. Splitting patients with abdominal pain between those with more and less specific symptoms, the percentages were 100% and 22.22% respectively. EFAST was never misleading and all complications were confirmed by a radiologist. All invasive procedures were successful and without complications. In cardiac arrest settings CCUS gave the indication to thrombolysis in two cases and to stop RCP in one subject. In 36.9% of patients radiology examination weren’t performed reducing diagnostic time and medical cost.