Diagnostic Accuracy of e-FAST in Stable Blunt Trauma Chest: A Prospective Analysis of 110 Cases at a Tertiary Care...

Focused assessment with sonography in trauma (FAST) is an important adjunct and an extension of the clinical examination in an emergency setting for the last three decades. e-FAST visualizes the lung bases and injuries related to the lungs in addition to the intra-abdominal and pericardial bleed. In trauma patients, time is precious. Noncontrast computed tomography (NCCT) chest is the gold standard for the evaluation of blunt trauma chest. However, it is cumbersome and time-consuming and leads to increased morbidity and mortality. Therefore, evaluation of trauma patients at the trauma bay with e-FAST which is available at all times will not only save time but also the lives of trauma patients. Our endeavor is to find whether e-FAST can be substituted for NCCT for assessing injuries accurately in a stable blunt trauma patient.

Prospective observational study was conducted in a tertiary care trauma center during the period of November 2017 to 2019. Of the 197 patients presenting to the trauma surgeon in the trauma center, 110 were included in the study after satisfying the inclusion criteria. Eighty-seven patients being hemodynamically unstable were excluded from the study.

There was no statistical significance in the comparative data between the groups and all with "p" values more than 0.05. This accepts the null hypothesis and establishes the fact that there is no difference between NCCT chest which is the gold standard for chest blunt trauma and e-FAST.

We conclude that e-FAST is a better adjunct to the diagnosis and management of blunt trauma chest patients.

Devadoss H, Sharma P, Nair VV, Rehsi SS, Roy N, Rao PP. Diagnostic Accuracy of e-FAST in Stable Blunt Trauma Chest: A Prospective Analysis of 110 Cases at a Tertiary Care Center. Indian J Crit Care Med 2021;25(10):1167-1172.