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Research Journal of Medical Sciences

ISSN: Online 1993-6095
ISSN: Print 1815-9346
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Assessment of the Impact of Early Point‐of‐Care Ultrasound in Diagnosing Acute Abdominal Pain in the Emergency Department

Kali Kapoor, Vinod Kumar Yadav, Rahul Chaudhary, Rakshit Sethi and Rahul Kapoor
Page: 1-5 | Received 03 Aug 2024, Published online: 01 Oct 2024

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https://doi.org/10.36478/10.36478/makrjms.2024.11.1.5

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Abstract

Acute abdominal pain is a common presenting complaint in the emergency department (ED), posing diagnostic challenges. Point‐of‐care ultrasound (POCUS) is increasingly used as a rapid, non‐invasive diagnostic tool that can facilitate early diagnosis and management decisions. To evaluate the impact of early POCUS in diagnosing acute abdominal pain in the ED and its influence on clinical outcomes, including time to diagnosis, management decisions and length of stay. A prospective observational study was conducted in the ED, involving 100 patients presenting with acute abdominal pain. Patients were divided into two groups: Group A received early POCUS in addition to standard clinical evaluation and Group B received standard clinical evaluation alone. Outcomes assessed included time to diagnosis, management changes, need for further imaging and length of stay. Early POCUS significantly reduced the time to diagnosis (mean 45 minutes vs. 95 minutes, p<0.001) and resulted in changes in management decisions in 35% of cases in Group A compared to 10% in Group B (p<0.05). The need for further imaging was lower in Group A (20% vs. 50%, p<0.01). Length of stay was shorter in the POCUS group (5.8±2.1 hours vs. 8.4±3.0 hours, p<0.05). Early POCUS is a valuable tool in the ED for diagnosing acute abdominal pain, significantly reducing time to diagnosis and length of stay and aiding in management decisions. Integration of POCUS in standard ED protocols is recommended.

How to cite this article:

Kali Kapoor, Vinod Kumar Yadav, Rahul Chaudhary, Rakshit Sethi and Rahul Kapoor. Assessment of the Impact of Early Point‐of‐Care Ultrasound in Diagnosing Acute Abdominal Pain in the Emergency Department.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.36478/10.36478/makrjms.2024.11.1.5
URL: https://www.makhillpublications.co/view-article/1815-9346/10.36478/makrjms.2024.11.1.5