SonoKids MSK bones

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to investigate feasibility and evaluate test characteristics of bedside ultrasound for the detection of skull fractures in children with closed head injury (CHI). METHODS: This was a prospective, observational study conducted in a pediatric emergency department of an urban tertiary care children's hospital. A convenience sample of children younger than 18 years were enrolled if they presented with an acute CHI, and a computed tomography (CT) scan was performed...

OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study was to determine the diagnostic accuracy of pediatric emergency physicians in diagnosing clavicle fractures by bedside ultrasound (US). METHODS: This was a prospective study of pediatric emergency department (ED) patients with suspected clavicle fractures conducted in a tertiary-care, freestanding pediatric hospital. A convenience sample of patients younger than 17 years underwent bedside US for detection of clavicle fracture by pediatric emergency physicians with limited US training...

OBJECTIVES: Ultrasound (US) may be a useful tool for rapidly diagnosing fractures. Our objective was to determine the accuracy of US as compared with radiographs in the detection of nonangulated distal forearm fractures. METHODS: Distal forearm US was performed and interpreted at the bedside by a pediatric emergency medicine physician before radiography in a prospective sample of children with possible nonangulated distal forearm fractures. A second pediatric emergency medicine physician with extensive US experience gave a final interpretation of the images...

Bedside ultrasound has become a diagnostic tool that is commonly used in the emergency department. In trained hands, it can be used to diagnose multiple pathologies. In this case series, we describe the utility of ultrasound in diagnosing skull fractures in pediatric patients with scalp hematomas.

OBJECTIVES: Clavicle fractures are among the most common orthopedic injuries in children. Diagnosis typically involves radiographs, which expose children to radiation and may consume significant time and resources. Our objective was to determine if bedside emergency department (ED) ultrasound (US) is an accurate alternative to radiography. METHODS: This was a prospective study of bedside US for diagnosing clavicle fractures. A convenience sample of children ages 1-18 years with shoulder injuries requiring radiographs was enrolled...

OBJECTIVE: There is a need to develop tools for the rapid diagnosis and treatment of fractures and intraosseous pathology in remote and austere environments. Several emergency and orthopedic studies have demonstrated ultrasound to be a reliable tool in diagnosing these conditions in both adult and pediatric patients. The purpose of this pilot study is to assess the ability of the ultrasound to assess in "real-time" the success of fracture reduction in adult patients in the emergency department (ED), in comparison with the accepted standard, plain film radiography, for the purposes of future application in austere environments...

BACKGROUND: Forearm fractures are common injuries in children. Displaced and angulated fractures usually require reduction. Ultrasound diagnosis and guided reduction offer several potential advantages: (1) the procedure does not involve ionizing radiation; (2) compared with fluoroscopy units, the newer ultrasound units are more portable; and (3) repeated studies can be obtained easily and quickly. OBJECTIVE: The primary objective was to investigate the accuracy of emergency department (ED) physician-performed ultrasound in the diagnosis and guided reduction of forearm fractures in children...

Reducing badly displaced or angulated pediatric forearm fractures in the emergency department can be difficult. Multiple attempts at reduction may be required, with repeated trips to the radiology department, before an adequate reduction is achieved. We have recently found that bedside ultrasound by emergency physicians is very helpful in guiding the reduction of difficult forearm fractures, allowing the physician to assess the adequacy of the reduction at the patient's bedside. In this report, we describe the technique we have developed for ultrasound-guided fracture reduction and present three case histories showing the usefulness of this technique...

Occult fractures due to child abuse can be difficult to identify because there is usually no history of trauma, and chief complaints are vague. In addition, the osseous injuries are often subtle, becoming obvious only after healing begins. Missed injuries can lead to inappropriate disposition of a patient and can cause children to be placed at high risk for further injury and death. It is therefore imperative that these children be diagnosed as soon as possible. Ultrasound has some properties that are desirable for detecting fractures, especially in children...