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Emergency Thoracic Ultrasound (Excluding Echocardiography)

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Chest Sonography

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Abstract

Due to the fact that some life-threatening conditions can be identified and treated immediately by an appropriate intervention, chest trauma and serious, non-traumatic dyspnea are a special challenge for thoracic ultrasound. The sonographic assessment follows the standard ABC-emergency approach. Obstruction of the airway and impairment of breathing have priority over shock. Frequent and relevant causes of dyspnea can be clearly recognized by sonography. However, the method is not 100 % sensitive as well as 100 % specific. Due to their position in the chest only few pathologies cannot be visualized by thoracic ultrasound. Furthermore, ultrasonography is gaining increasing importance because a number of important contraindications for CT are frequently encountered.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Zentrale Notfallaufnahme, Kantonspital St. Gallen, 9007, St. Gallen, Switzerland

    Joseph Osterwalder

  2. Internistische Praxis, Bahnhofstrasse 16/2, 6830, Rankweil, Austria

    Gebhard Mathis

Authors
  1. Joseph Osterwalder
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  2. Gebhard Mathis
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Joseph Osterwalder .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Rankweil, Austria

    Gebhard Mathis

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Osterwalder, J., Mathis, G. (2017). Emergency Thoracic Ultrasound (Excluding Echocardiography). In: Mathis, G. (eds) Chest Sonography. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-44072-9_12

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-44072-9_12

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-44071-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-44072-9

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