A Case Report Utilizing Ultrasound for the Identification of Traumatic Pulmonary Contusion.

Abstract

Pulmonary contusions are a common injury in both military and civilian trauma patients. In austere and resource-limited settings common to deployment, military physicians may be limited on their ability diagnose or differentiate this entity from other traumatic injuries. We describe the use of ultrasound for the identification of pulmonary contusion in a patient with a gunshot wound while performing an extended Focused Assessment with Sonography (eFAST). The utility of ultrasound in polytraumatic patients stretches far beyond the initial FAST exam and can drastically inform clinical decision making and treatment.