Extended focused assessment with sonography in trauma (eFAST)

Abstract:

Ultrasound in trauma has long been established as a useful supplement to clinical trauma examination. It enables making better decisions about the patient‘s further care, in a short time, at the patient‘s bedside. The examination is performed according to the eFAST protocol, i.e. extended focused assessment with sonography in trauma. The aim of the examination is to detect free fluid in the abdominal and pericardial space, or free fluid and/or air in the chest. The advantages of using ultrasound when examining a patient with trauma are the availability of ultrasound, low cost, speed of examination and the possibility of detecting clinically significant conditions that threaten life. Also, there is no ionizing radiation.

Key words:
eFAST exam; FAST exam; focused assessment sonography; polytrauma; ultrasound