Emergency bedside ultrasound for the diagnosis of rib fractures.

The scope of clinical applications of emergency ultrasonography continues to expand. Bedside ultrasound has been typically described as an "extension of the palpating hand" and a "visual stethoscope" during physical examination. One of the relatively newer applications is its use in the detection of rib fractures. The author discusses the technique, applicability, limitations, and role of emergency ultrasound in the diagnosis of rib fractures.

[1]  R. Markowitz,et al.  Sonography of the elbow in infants and children. , 1992, AJR. American journal of roentgenology.

[2]  J. Griffith,et al.  Sonography compared with radiography in revealing acute rib fracture. , 1999, AJR. American journal of roentgenology.

[3]  C N Mock,et al.  Rib fractures in the elderly. , 2000, The Journal of trauma.

[4]  Y. Barnea,et al.  Isolated rib fractures in elderly patients: mortality and morbidity. , 2002, Canadian journal of surgery. Journal canadien de chirurgie.

[5]  J. Griffith,et al.  Comparison of thoracic ultrasound, clinical acumen, and radiography in patients with minor chest injury. , 2004, The Journal of trauma.

[6]  D. Benson,et al.  Intraoperative Ultrasonography for Reduction of Thoracolumbar Burst Fractures , 1989, Spine.

[7]  W. Durston,et al.  Ultrasound guided reduction of pediatric forearm fractures in the ED. , 2000, The American journal of emergency medicine.

[8]  C. Moore,et al.  Diagnosis and Guided Reduction of Forearm Fractures in Children Using Bedside Ultrasound , 2007, Pediatric emergency care.

[9]  S. Hamilton,et al.  Is ultrasound really helpful in the detection of rib fractures? , 2004, Injury.

[10]  R. Markowitz,et al.  Ultrasonographic evaluation of the elbow in infants and young children after suspected trauma. , 1994, The Journal of bone and joint surgery. American volume.

[11]  C. Hendrich,et al.  Diagnostic value of ultrasonography and conventional radiography for the assessment of sternal fractures. , 1995, Injury.

[12]  D. Disler,et al.  Using sonography to diagnose an unossified medial epicondyle avulsion in a child. , 2000, AJR. American journal of roentgenology.

[13]  P. Cameron,et al.  Rib fractures in major trauma. , 1996, The Australian and New Zealand journal of surgery.

[14]  G. Mathis,et al.  Thoraxsonography--Part I: Chest wall and pleura. , 1997, Ultrasound in medicine & biology.

[15]  K. Michi,et al.  Ultrasonographic evaluation during reduction of zygomatic arch fractures. , 1990, Journal of cranio-maxillo-facial surgery : official publication of the European Association for Cranio-Maxillo-Facial Surgery.

[16]  S. Kara,et al.  Disclosure of unnoticed rib fractures with the use of ultrasonography in minor blunt chest trauma. , 2003, European journal of cardio-thoracic surgery : official journal of the European Association for Cardio-thoracic Surgery.

[17]  B. Maldague,et al.  Costal cartilage fractures as revealed on CT and sonography. , 2001, AJR. American journal of roentgenology.