Point‐of‐Care Ultrasound‐Guided Drainage of Joint Effusions in the Pediatric Emergency Setting: A Case Series. (28th July 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Scheier, Eric; Levick, Nadine; Ujirauli, Neli; Raviv, Orian; Balla, Uri
• Is Part Of: Journal of ultrasound in medicine. Volume 41:Number 5(2022)
• Page Start: 1285
• Page End: 1293
• Publication Date: 2021-07-28
• Subjects: case series -- effusion -- POCUS -- pediatric -- septic joint -- ultrasound; Ultrasonics in medicine -- Periodicals; Ultrasonics; Ultrasonography; Ultrasonics in medicine; Electronic journals; Periodicals; Periodicals; 616.07543
• DOI: 10.1002/jum.15795
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0278-4297

Abstract

Abstract : Literature supporting the use of point‐of‐care ultrasound (POCUS) for both identification and aspiration of effusions in large joints in the pediatric emergency department (PED) is sparse. We collected a case series of five patients who presented to the PED from August 2020 to December 2020 with an effusion in the hip, shoulder, knee, or elbow identified and aspirated under POCUS performed by pediatric emergency medicine (PEM) physicians. POCUS confirms effusion location and size and visualization of a completely evacuated effusion. POCUS can also guide the decision to start antibiotics earlier in the course of illness, can prevent unnecessary transfers for formal sonographic imaging or for potentially unnecessary radiographic imaging. This series supports the role of a PEM physician and POCUS guidance in the identification and aspiration of large‐joint effusions.