2D or 3D TEEin penetrating cardiac injury No NO

[Robert F. Smith]

1. I thought FAST was an ECHO.

2. If you're doing the test and not going to act on the positive findings
then why do it? As Ben said.

3. With appropriate mechanism, and a positive finding on FAST, what clinical
findings are you going to wait to see?

Rob Smith

-----Original Message-----
From: trauma-list-bounces at trauma.org [mailto:trauma-list-bounces at trauma.org]
On Behalf Of KMATTOX at aol.com
Sent: Thursday, September 06, 2007 9:03 PM
To: trauma-list at trauma.org
Subject: Re: 2D or 3D TEEin penetrating cardiac injury No NO 

I had intended to watch and learn, but I can no longer remain  silent.    My

fear is that the unprepared mind might become  confused by this discussion,
or 
even might make the evaluation of cardiac injury  more difficult.    I am 
very concerned that the focus is now on  technology and not the patient.
EVERY 
technology can be helpful and can be  a VOMIT. 
 
1.  WHY in the name of whatever is decent and honorable, why are  we trying 
to make things more difficult.      
 
2    FAST is helpful (if the test is POSITIVE) to  suggest hemopericardium, 
but NOT diagnosic of any real clinical condition unless  the test coorelates

with the clinical findings.     PERIOD.     
 
3.    ANY ECHO (TTE, TEE, 2D, 3d, ETC. ETC. ) is a  RANDOM NUMBER GENERATOR 
and creates more problems, including increasing the cost  of care, much more

than it is worth.   The risk benefit ratio is just  not worth it.    TEE is
a 
test suggested by someone who needs  some way of making a living because
they 
have no other skills that this  particular patient needs.   There are some 
narrow indications and  benefits for TEE, but this and use of TEE for
potential 
aortic injury are just  not among those indications 
 
4.    For trauma, TEE is a massive, MASSIVE  VOMIT.   Enough said on this 
subject.  
 
k



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