Afshan Pathan.
Role of Ultrasound in the evaluation of blunt abdominal trauma.
J Liaquat Uni Med Health Sci Jan ;4(1):23-8.

This article provides an overview of the recent literature and research work about the growing role of ultrasound in assisting Emergency Physicians, Radiologists and Trauma Surgeons to make timely decision for the unstable patients with blunt abdominal trauma. Ultrasonography (US) in the evaluation of blunt trauma is now an accepted practice in the emergency departments. The main focus of the examination is detection of free fluid in the abdomen secondary to injury of the abdominal organs. The trauma patients in unstable condition and in whom significant free fluid is detected on US are immediately taken to the operating room for surgical exploration without undergoing computed tomographic (CT) correlation. US is also used to identify the hematoma surrounding the injured organ. The solid organ injuries such as the liver, spleen and kidney are also detected. However, US has limited value in the contained parenchymal injuries and injuries to the diaphragm, pancreas, adrenal gland and some bowel injuries. Thus, negative findings at US do not exclude an intraperitoneal injury, and close clinical observation or CT is warranted.

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