Point-of-Care Ultrasound Detection of Pseudoaneurysms in Pediatric Patients: A Multicenter Case Series

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Emergency Medicine
• Vascular Surgery
• Diagnostic Imaging

Background:

• Pseudoaneurysms are uncommon in pediatric emergency settings, posing significant clinical challenges.
• Conventional ultrasonography is standard for pseudoaneurysm diagnosis, but its use in children is less documented.
• Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) has proven effective in adult pseudoaneurysm detection, yet pediatric data remains limited.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the utility and feasibility of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) in diagnosing pseudoaneurysms in pediatric patients.
• To document the application of POCUS across diverse anatomical locations in children presenting with pseudoaneurysms.
• To contribute to the scarce literature on POCUS for pediatric vascular emergencies.

Main Methods:

• A multi-institutional case series involving eight pediatric patients diagnosed with pseudoaneurysms.
• Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) was the primary diagnostic modality used at the bedside.
• Data collection focused on anatomical location, POCUS findings, and clinical implications.

Main Results:

• Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) successfully identified pseudoaneurysms in pediatric patients across six different anatomical regions.
• The case series demonstrates the adaptability of POCUS for diagnosing these rare vascular injuries in children.
• Findings support POCUS as a valuable tool in the pediatric emergency department for pseudoaneurysm evaluation.

Conclusions:

• Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is a feasible and effective method for identifying pseudoaneurysms in pediatric patients.
• This study expands the reported applications of POCUS in pediatric vascular emergencies.
• POCUS can aid in the timely diagnosis and management of pseudoaneurysms in children within emergency settings.