This article discusses a study that explored the use of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) by primary care clinicians to diagnose meniscal injuries in patients with acute knee injuries. Patients with such injuries often face delays in obtaining advanced imaging like MRI, especially in safety-net hospitals and other resource-limited settings.
The researchers from New York City Health and Hospitals/Bellevue implemented POCUS into the diagnostic process at their safety-net hospital. Primary care and urgent care clinicians were trained to use POCUS and place markers on ultrasound images to denote areas of concern, which were then reviewed by outside clinicians.
The study found that in cases where meniscal injuries were suspected, the addition of POCUS to the standard history and physical examination provided reliable results. Out of the 11 patients identified with meniscal injuries using POCUS, 6 underwent MRI, confirming the diagnosis in all cases.
The findings highlight the effectiveness of POCUS in diagnosing meniscal injuries and suggest that wider application of this technology in clinical and urgent care settings can improve patient outcomes by expediting care and reducing the burden on more advanced imaging resources like MRI, particularly in resource-limited settings.
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by Lara Salahi o www.medscape.com 05-31-2024
https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/primary-care-physicians-can-successfully-diagnose-meniscal-2024a1000a7vGłębsze pytania