The Results of Focused Assessment with Sonography for Trauma Performed by Third Year Surgical Residents : A Prospective Study
RATTAPLEE PAK-ART, MD*, SUKANY A SRIUSSADAPORN, MD*, SUVIT SRIUSSADAPORN, MD*, TANIT VA JRABUKKA, MB, CUB, FRCS*
Affiliation : *Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkom University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand.
Patients and
Method : Data were collected prospectively in one hundred and twenty-nine blunt abdominal trauma patients admitted to King Chulalongkom Memorial Hospital from November 2000- November 2002. FAST was used by third year surgical residents to detect intraperitoneal fluid and considered positive if such fluid was identified. Data were analyzed using the chi-square test.
Results : Of the 129 patients, there were 31 female (24%) and 98 male (76%) patients, with the mean age of 34 years. The mean Injury Severity Score was 13.2. 53 patients had proven intraabdo minal injuries and 76 had no injuries. FAST was positive in 28 patients and negative in 101 patients. There were 3 false positive FAST. The sensitivity and specificity of FAST were 47.17 per cent and 96.05 per cent, respectively. The positive predictive value was 89.29 per cent, the negative predictive value was 72.28 per cent and the accuracy was 81.59 per cent.
Conclusion : FAST performed by third year surgical residents for blunt abdominal trauma had high specificity to detect hemoperitoneum. A positive FAST is a strong predictor of significant intraabdominal injury. The need for more practices to improve sensitivity is recommended.
Keywords : Ultrasonography, Blunt Abdominal Injuries
