Author(s)

Nils Petter Oveland, Nigussie Bogale, Benedict Waldron, Kasper Bech, Erik Sloth

Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark.
Department of Cardiology, Stavanger University Hospital, Stavanger, Norway.
Department of Research and Development, Norwegian Air Ambulance Foundation, Droebak, Norway;.
Faculty of Health Sciences, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.

The clinical assessment of patients with respiratory and circulatory problems can be complex, time consuming and have a high incidence of error. Bedside transthoracic ultrasound (US) is a useful adjunctive test in the evaluation of acutely unstable patients. This case series describes the use of the Focus Assessed Transthoracic Echocardiography (FATE) protocol to diagnose unsuspected pleural collections of fluid and how drainage significantly contributes to the haemodynamic improvement seen in these patients.

Pleural Effusions; Haemodynamic Instability; Haemothorax; Transthoracic Echocardiography

Oveland, N. , Bogale, N. , Waldron, B. , Bech, K. and Sloth, E. (2013) Focus assessed transthoracic echocardiography (FATE) to diagnose pleural effusions causing haemodynamic compromise. Case Reports in Clinical Medicine, 2, 189-193. doi: 10.4236/crcm.2013.23052.