[Bedside ultrasonographic examination of a critically ill surgical patient]

Bedside ultrasonography is a modern and progressive examinating method. During the past two decades, performing of bedside ultrasonography has repeteadly shown its clinical and economical advantages. Bedside ultrasonography appears to be cost-effective method which provides minimall patient and staff stress.

132 critically ill patients were involved, regardless of basic diagnosis and surgical procedure they undervent. In these patients both bedside USG and CT were performed in order to prove a fluid collections in one of the following anatomical locations pleural cavity, peritoneal cavity and abdominal wall. The prospective study assessed and compared sensitivity of bedside USG to CT. Results of the study should by further applied in hardly transportable critically ill, for that CT could be hazardous.

Bedside USG had comparable sensitivity to CT in fluidothrorax and abdominal wall colections detection, in some cases even more. For intraabdominal fluid USG represent less accurate method to CT, benefit of CT should be then discussed in each patient individually considering general health condition and basic diagnosis.