Lung ultrasound in a respiratory pandemic #MMPMID32578933
Lokuge A; Alexander J; Land B; McAllister A
Emerg Med Australas 2020[Oct]; 32 (5): 883-889 PMID32578933show ga
Australian hospitals have prepared for a major surge in patients due to the infectious respiratory pandemic COVID-19. In other nations, patient presentations have overwhelmed resources. Ultrasound has been shown to be an effective tool to exclude significant life-threats in resource poor settings. In this article, we will describe three lung ultrasound algorithms for the emergency diagnosis of patients presenting with respiratory symptoms during a COVID-19 pandemic: (i) LUSC19: lung ultrasound to assess the severity of COVID-19; (ii) LUSAC: lung ultrasound to exclude alternative causes of respiratory distress; and (iii) LUSI: lung ultrasound following intubation. We anticipate that emergency physicians will use these algorithms during the upcoming respiratory pandemic to rapidly determine the severity of COVID-19 infection, to seek and treat significant alternative diagnoses and ensure endotracheal intubation.
Emerg+Med+Australas 2020 ; 32 (5): 883-889
