Clinical Tips: Ultrasound is coming
Some procedures are done ‘blind’ such as a knee aspiration to assist aspiration of synovial fluid. Even here USS can be helpful in difficult cases.
X marks the spot! Remember when you’re watching or learning any practical procedure, placement is often the key to its success. Whilst simple procedures like a knee aspiration can be performed without any marking its becoming increasingly recognised that marking sites for any aspiration (pleural fluid, ascitic fluid) and where possible direct visualisation of the needle (central line insertion) is safe, and improves success rates.
Medical students should try and familiarise themselves with ultrasound procedures: why not go and find a friendly USS technician or radiologist and sit in on some simple procedures to help get your basic groundings for a skill that will be valued and needed for most trainees involved in any acute care. Having a go whilst watched by an experienced practitioner is a useful experience. Doing some of these procedures now without USS guidance would be operating in many cases outside of local and national guidelines.
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Seems to me like most of the time the doctors actually struggle to get the right pieces of kit. How can you decide when it is safe to USS first or just go ahead? There must be a point when waiting for an USS makes it more risky for the patient? Do you just have to ignore the guidelines in this sort of case?