The awesome video below is only 12 minutes long and will be helpful for every clinician!
See also the Key Reference From The Vidcast:
Utilization of ultrasound for the evaluation of small bowel obstruction: A systematic review and meta-analysis [PubMed Abstract]. Am J Emerg Med. 2018;36(2):234-242.
And after watching the video check the Additional Resources on abdominal pain after this post to complete your review.
Here is a link to the video of POCUS Case 5 – Small Bowel Obstruction from the always outstanding Emergency Medicine Cases:
POCUS Cases is an original EM Cases video series led by Dr. Robert Simard, an Emergency Physician at North York General Hospital and Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in Toronto. Rob always wished he had x-ray vision…but since he possesses no special powers…using Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS) is the next closest thing. He completed a POCUS fellowship at NOSM and teaches POCUS nationally and internationally. He is the creator POCUS Cases, an original EM cases screencast that provides POCUS clinical pearls in an engaging and fun way that will help you provide stellar care to your patients.
In this POCUS Cases 5 – Small Bowel Obstruction, Dr. Simard explains the limitations of x-rays for small bowel obstruction, the three signs of small bowel obstruction on POCUS including the “keyboard sign”, the most important literature on the topic and the limitations of using POCUS for the diagnosis of small bowel obstruction.
Keep your eyes open for a new POCUS Cases each month!
And here is a link to a list of all of the great POCUS cases so far.
Additional Resources:
(1) Learning Ultrasound -8- “POCUS In Small Bowel Obstruction” – YouTube Video From Western Sono
Posted on May 14, 2018 by Tom Wade MD
CT scan is the gold standard for the diagnosis of small bowel obstruction as noted in the above vidcast. Here are two articles on aspects of CT scanning of SBO:
(A) Sensitivity and Specificity of CT and Its signs for Diagnosis of Strangulation in Patients with Acute Small Bowel Obstruction [PubMed Abstract]. JNMA J Nepal Med Assoc. 2014 Jan-Mar;52(193):735-44.
(B) Value of CT findings to predict surgical ischemia in small bowel obstruction: A systematic review and meta-analysis [PubMed Abstract]. Eur Radiol. 2015 Jun;25(6):1823-35. doi: 10.1007/s00330-014-3440-2. Epub 2015 Apr 8.
(2) Ultrasound Diagnosis of Small Bowel Obstruction + Core Em Podcast On SBO
Posted on January 20, 2017 by Tom Wade MD
(3) Abdominal Pain In Adults – Some Resources
Posted on April 24, 2016 by Tom Wade MD
(4) Ultrasound for Small Bowel Obstruction–Video and Web Resources
Posted on August 4, 2015 by Tom Wade MD
(5) Managing Acute Gastroenteritis In Children
Posted on April 14, 2014 by Tom Wade MD
(6) Intussception: YouTube Videos and Emedicine Excerpts
Posted on April 21, 2014 by Tom Wade MD
(7) An Approach to the Causes of Acute Abdominal Pain in Adults
Posted on February 2, 2012 by Tom Wade MD
