Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) in trauma was introduced early with the Focused Assessment with Sonography for Trauma (FAST) exam, a well-known scanning protocol incorporated into the Advanced Trauma Life Support® program to help with the diagnosis of life-threatening situations during the primary survey. The original FAST exam included four views: right and left upper quadrant, suprapubic, and subxiphoid (pericardial). The FAST protocol now includes the examination of the chest to assess for pneumothorax, now known as the Extended FAST (E-FAST). More recently, POCUS has moved well beyond the E-FAST, providing potential value for diagnosis and management of trauma patients (Semin Ultrasound CT MR 2018;39:374-83). We will focus on the more novel applications for upper-airway and gastric exams as well as resuscitation transesophageal echocardiography (TEE).
Upper-airway ultrasound is a quick, non-invasive, and reliable tool to enhance the management of the airway in situations when the anatomy can be altered...