Ultrasonography utilization in forearm fractures at the emergency department
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American Journal of Emergency Medicine
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American Journal of Emergency Medicine 37 (2019) 2111-2117
Ultrasonography utilization in Forearm fractures at the emergency department
We have read the article by Auten et al. [1] published in Amer- ican Journal of Emergency Medicine. In this article, it is concluded that ultrasonography accurately predicts Adequacy of reduction with a high concordance between emergency medicine and radiol- ogy interpretations of post-reduction images.
In our experience, ultrasonography is a reliable method to determinate fracture focus location and ease the administration of local anesthesia. We have also utilized this technique for frac- ture post-reduction control. However, due to interobserver vari- ability, its application in clinical routine in the emergency department may be initially limited. Due to this, we believe that not only the availability of both diagnostic tests must be taken into account, but also the existence of trained personnel on its utiliza- tion. Otherwise, extrapolation of the results obtained in this study may be limited when trying to establish this diagnostic-therapeu- tic protocol in all emergency services.
Even so, we totally agree with the authors that the implemen- tation of ultrasonography utilization can be useful in cases in which fluoroscopy is not available, or even relegating fluoroscopy to a second plane, with the aim of reducing X-ray irradiation to the patient and the health-care personnel.
Funding
Authors disclose no funding.
Declaration of Competing Interest
Authors declare no conflict of interest.
References
[1] Auten JD, Naheedy JH, Hurst ND, Pennock AT, Hollenbach KA, Kanegaye JT. Comparison of pediatric post-reduction fluoroscopic- and ultrasound forearm fracture images. Am J Emerg Med 2019 May;37(5):832-8.
Alberto Sanchez-Garcia MD Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Department, University and Polytechnic Hospital La Fe. Avenida Fernando Abril Martorell,
106, 46026 Valencia, Spain
Corresponding author at: Antonio Sacramento 11. Valencia,
Comunidad Valenciana 46013, Spain.
E-mail address: [email protected]
Enrique Salmeron-Gonzalez MD Elena Garcia-Vilarino MD Nieves Vanaclocha MD
Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Department, University and Polytechnic Hospital La Fe. Avenida Fernando Abril Martorell, 106,
46026 Valencia, Spain
Alfonso Valverde-Navarro Ph.D Department of Human Anatomy and Embriology, University of Valencia, Valencia. Avenida Blasco Ibanez, 13, 46010 Valencia, Spain
4 May 2019
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajem.2019.06.016
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