Too fast, or not fast enough? The FAST exam in patients with non-compressible torso hemorrhage

Focused assessment with sonography for trauma (FAST) performance metrics are unknown in patients with non-compressible torso hemorrhage (NCTH).

Retrospective review of a dedicated NCTH database from four level 1 trauma centers (2008-2012). NCTH was defined as (1) named axial torso vessel disruption; (2) AIS chest or abdomen >2 with shock (base deficit < -4) or truncal operation in ≤ 90 min; or (3) pelvic fracture with ring disruption. Patients were grouped by cavity of hemorrhage source and by shock (SBP ≤ 90).

274 patients had a FAST prior to diagnosis of NCTH. FAST was positive in 51% of patients with abdominal/pelvic hemorrhage for a false negative rate (FNR) of 49%. FNR was higher for pelvic (61%) versus abdominal (43%) sources (p = 0.02). There was no difference between FAST negative or positive patients for ISS, shock, length of stay, or mortality (all p = NS). FNR was not improved among the subgroup of NCTH patients with shock (p = NS).

FAST identified abdominal/pelvic hemorrhage in approximately half of NCTH patients, and this was not improved among patients presenting with shock.