The surgeon's use of ultrasound in the acute setting

The success of ultrasound in trauma has encouraged surgeons to extend its use into the acute setting. Essentials of selected ultrasound examinations used for the evaluation of the patient with an acute abdomen, hypotension, or soft-tissue infection are discussed. The diagnostic and therapeutic ultrasound tests frequently performed by the surgeon while on rounds in the intensive care unit enhance the physical examination and facilitate patient care. This article illustrates specific areas in which surgeon-performed ultrasound can assist with the diagnosis and therapy of patients with acute surgical problems and those in the surgical intensive care unit.