[Significance of ultrasound study in accident surgery]

Diagnosis via sonography has recently become firmly established also in accident surgery because of its manifold possibilities of application. The fact that the equipment is very mobile is of particular advantage in this field. It enables detection of intra-abdominal and intra-thoracic lesions, and to diagnose sequelae as well as associated diseases, especially in polytraumatised patients. If applied to the limbs, it becomes possible to discover particularly well all changes in the soft parts, such as haematomas, abscess formation, or effusions. This supplies important pointers towards deciding whether surgery should be performed, and in what way. The importance that sonography has gained in accident surgery is illustrated by the multifarious case reports covering a broad spectrum of different accidents and lesions.