Unexpected Pneumothorax Suspected by Performing Non-Lung Point-of-Care Ultrasound

Abstract

Currently lung point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) represents one of the most powerful tools when managing critically ill children. Its use allows to safe time avoiding deleterious effects from other diagnostic techniques such as ionizing radiation, which is specially important in children. POCUS is based on a multi-scan syndromic approach of medical problems more than scanning some specific anatomical areas. In other words, POCUS is able to stablish a diagnosis by scanning different organs views. We present two cases of unidentified pneumothorax suspected by using non-lung point-of-care ultrasound, confirmed posteriorly by lung ultrasound. In all cases high frequency linear transducers (5-10Hz) were used for evaluating superficial structures (neck, pleura) and the lung was scanned in a longitudinal plane, placing the probe perpendicular to the chest wall.