Clinical ultrasound in the management of polytraumatized patients in the daily practice of the anesthesiologist

Abstract

Ultrasound has an important role in the diagnosis and prognosis of polytrauma patients. We describe a case of a 52-year-old man with hemodynamic instability and multiple injuries. Abdominal ultrasound evaluation was positive for hemoperitoneum, so an exploratory laparotomy was performed. During the intraoperative period, lung ultrasound was used to exclude traumatic lung injury. In the right lung, lung ultrasound suggested the presence of pneumothorax, and in the left a subpleural consolidation. Subsequently, a computed tomography was performed, confirming the sonographic findings. On the fourth admission day, he underwent surgical correction of a left hip fracture. A type 2 quadratus lumborum block (ultrasound-guided) was performed before surgical incision. The procedure was uneventful. The patient remained hemodynamically stable, without indirect signs of pain. This case shows that ultrasound-guided examination plays a crucial role in the management of polytrauma patients. It was a fundamental diagnostic tool in the initial evaluation, and was also used during surgery.

Keywords: Analgesia regional; Bloqueo cuadrado lumbar; Clinical ultrasound; Ecografía clínica; Ecografía pulmonar; Lung ultrasound; Quadratus lumborum block; Regional analgesia.