Use of Point-of-care Ultrasound for the Seizing Infant: An Adjunct for Detection of Abusive Head Trauma
Case Presentation: An eight-week-old infant presented to the emergency department in cardiac arrest. Return of spontaneous circulation was obtained and the patient subsequently began seizing. Point-of-care ultrasound of the anterior fontanelle revealed an extra-axial fluid collection consistent with...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
eScholarship Publishing, University of California
2020-08-01
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| Series: | Clinical Practice and Cases in Emergency Medicine |
| Online Access: | https://escholarship.org/uc/item/1xx632kp |
| Summary: | Case Presentation: An eight-week-old infant presented to the emergency department in cardiac arrest. Return of spontaneous circulation was obtained and the patient subsequently began seizing. Point-of-care ultrasound of the anterior fontanelle revealed an extra-axial fluid collection consistent with subdural hematoma (SDH). Discussion: Abusive head trauma is still frequently missed on initial presentation. In addition to validated screening clinical prediction rules, point-of-care cranial ultrasound can be used as a noninvasive adjunct for detection of SDH related to abusive head trauma in infants with an open fontanelle. |
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| ISSN: | 2474-252X |