Current use and perceived utility of ultrasound for evaluation of pediatric compared with adult trauma patients.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to evaluate the current use and perceived utility of ultrasound in the assessment of pediatric compared with adult trauma patients.

METHODS: A questionnaire was developed and mailed to 72 pediatric emergency physicians, 120 general emergency physicians, and 117 trauma attendings at 240 institutions.

RESULTS: Of 309 surveys, 234 (75%) were completed. Ultrasound was available to 169 of 234 (72%) of the physicians, and 122 of 169 (72%) were performing the Focused Assessment by Sonography for Trauma examination to evaluate trauma patients. Seventy-three percent (110/150) of general emergency and trauma surgeons reported that ultrasound was available equally with or more readily than computed tomography (CT) scan. Only 26% (5/19) of pediatric emergency attendings considered ultrasound equally available with CT scan, and none considered it more readily available than CT scan. Ninety-two percent (137/149) of general emergency and trauma attendings responding to the question about utility considered ultrasound somewhat useful to extremely useful for assessing adult trauma patients, and 77% considered it useful for pediatric patients. Only 57% (12/21) of pediatric emergency attendings responding to the same question perceived ultrasound as useful for pediatric trauma evaluations.

CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that ultrasound for the assessment of trauma patients is widely used by general emergency physicians and trauma surgeons, whereas pediatric emergency physicians report less use and perceived utility.