St. Marina University Hospital in Varna hosted Emergency Medicine Ultrasound Training, which brought together doctors working in emergency departments and medical students. The leading lecturer was the qualified European instructor in emergency ultrasound Dr. Gregor Prosen from the Slovenian Medical College at the University of Maribor, instructor in ultrasound in emergency resuscitation at WINFOCUS (initial and expert level), instructor in resuscitation in trauma at the American Surgical College, emergency treatment with resuscitation at the European Resuscitation Council, reanimation in pediatric patients. The training was held under the patronage of Medical University – Varna, St. Marina University Hospital-Varna, National Association of Emergency Medical Services Practitioners and Bulgarian Society for Emergency Medicine. It was organized by ILAN MEDICAL EQUIPMENT OOD Company.
The latest global trends in Emergency Medicine and the use of ultrasound diagnostics in modern Emergency Medicine were discussed during the workshop. There were also practical sessions and demonstrations with patients, focused on the actions of physicians for rapid diagnostics in various emergencies such as trauma, resuscitation, emergency cardiac, pulmonary, vascular and surgical conditions, and performance of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures under ultrasound control. US is an excellent tool for risk reduction through increasing diagnostic confidence, shortening the time to administer definitive therapy, reducing complications of invasive procedures, lack of ionizing radiation. Focused US study of patients in critical condition at an emergency department or on the spot (accidents, natural disasters, military actions) is performed and interpreted by emergency physicians, and it is a basic skill in emergency medical practice according to modern international guidelines.
The major advantage of emergency medicine ultrasound is the fact that it provides immediate answers to urgent questions such as: Is the intubation of the patient successful? Is central venous line placement successful? Is there blood in peritoneal cavity? Is there aneurysm of abdominal aorta? Signs of cholelithiasis? Is there evidence of obstructive uropathy? Are there signs of a normal intrauterine pregnancy? Is there pericardial effusion? Is there deep venous thrombosis of lower limbs? Is this pneumonia? Is there pleural effusion?
The first Emergency Medicine Ultrasound Guidelines were adopted by the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP), and the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine (SAEM) published them in 2001. In October 2008 the Board of Directors of ACEP adopted updated guidelines, where not only were the applications expanded, but also the future directions were outlined by introducing a new classification of the applications of ultrasound diagnosis: in resuscitation, diagnostics, symptom-based application, monitoring and therapeutic procedures. European Society for Emergency Medicine (EuSEM) supported them, and recently the International Federation for Emergency Medicine (IFEM) developed guidelines for application of ultrasound in Emergency Medicine.
