Point-of-care Ultrasound Diagnosis of Pulmonary Hydatid Cyst Disease Causing Shock: A Case Report

Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is accepted as an important tool for evaluating patients presenting to the emergency department (ED) with dyspnea1 and undifferentiated shock.2 Identifying the etiology and type of shock is time-critical since treatments vary based on this information. Clinicians typically rely on the history, exam, and diagnostics tests to identify the etiology of shock. In resource-limited settings where there is reduced access to timely laboratory and diagnostic studies. The use of POCUS enables rapid classification and directed treatment of shock. Additionally, POCUS can aid in the diagnosis of rarer tropical diseases that can be important causes of shock in resource-limited settings.

We discuss a case of a pediatric patient who presented to an ED in Cusco, Peru, with acute dyspnea and shock. Point-of-care ultrasound was used to expedite the diagnosis of a ruptured pulmonary hydatid cyst, guide proper management of septic and anaphylactic shock, and expedite definitive surgical intervention.

In resource-limited settings where there is reduced access to timely laboratory and diagnostic studies, the use of POCUS enables rapid classification and directed treatment of shock.