Hypotension + Abdominal Pain = Ultrasound

Hypotension + Abdominal Pain = Ultrasound

You are working an busy overnight shift at your rural community ER when a nurse comes to notify you of a new patient in the lobby - there are no open beds currently, but she thinks he looks ill.

You go out to evaluate the patient quickly - He is complaining of severe generalized abdominal pain that started a few hours ago and is worsening. He looks pale and slightly diaphoretic, has severe abdominal tenderness with peritonitis. Concerned, you wheel him back to your trauma bay...

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Clinical Concepts in Pelvic Ultrasound

Clinical Concepts in Pelvic Ultrasound

Your patient is a well appearing, otherwise healthy 22 year old female who presents with lower abdominal pain x3 days.  She is unsure of her LMP, but thinks she had some spotting about a month ago.  Vital signs: Temp 99.3F, HR 92, BP 102/70, RR 20, 98% on RA.  She has a benign, non-gravid abdomen.  Urine pregnancy is positive.  You fire off a quantitative hCG and don’t expect that result to come back for a while.  What do you do next?  

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