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From FAST to E-FAST: an overview of the evolution of ultrasound-based traumatic injury assessment

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Abstract

Ultrasound is a ubiquitous and versatile diagnostic tool. In the setting of acute injury, ultrasound enhances the basic trauma evaluation, influences bedside decision-making, and helps determine whether or not an unstable patient requires emergent procedural intervention. Consequently, continued education of surgeons and other acute care practitioners in performing focused emergency ultrasound is of great importance. This article provides a synopsis of focused assessment with sonography for trauma (FAST) and the extended FAST (E-FAST) that incorporates basic thoracic injury assessment. The authors also review key pitfalls, limitations, controversies, and advances related to FAST, E-FAST, and ultrasound education.

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Conflict of interest

Jacqueline Montoya, Stanislaw P. Stawicki, David C. Evans, David P. Bahner, Richard P. Sharpe, MD, FACS, and James Cipolla declare that they have no conflict(s) of interest related to this work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. St Luke’s Regional Level I Resource Trauma Center, Bethlehem, PA, USA

    J. Montoya, S. P. Stawicki, S. Sparks, R. P. Sharpe & J. Cipolla

  2. Department of Research and Innovation, St Luke’s University Health Network, Bethlehem, PA, 18015, USA

    S. P. Stawicki

  3. Department of Surgery, Division of Trauma, Critical Care, and Burn, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, OH, USA

    D. C. Evans

  4. Department of Emergency Medicine, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, OH, USA

    D. P. Bahner

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  1. J. Montoya
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Correspondence to S. P. Stawicki.

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Montoya, J., Stawicki, S.P., Evans, D.C. et al. From FAST to E-FAST: an overview of the evolution of ultrasound-based traumatic injury assessment. Eur J Trauma Emerg Surg 42, 119–126 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00068-015-0512-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00068-015-0512-1

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