EMERGENCY ROOM USE OF TRANSVAGINAL ULTRASONOGRAPHY BY OBSTETRICS AND GYNECOLOGY RESIDENTS

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and diagnostic value of the emergency room use of transvaginal ultrasonography operated by the obstetrics and gynecology residents. STUDY DESIGN: One hundred sixty-eight patients scanned in the emergency room constituted the study group and were compared with 61 patients for whom emergency room scanning was not available. Scanning and non-scanning days alternated for a 6-month period. The Student t test was used in the analysis. RESULTS: By comparing the two patient groups a statistically significant (p < 0.0001) difference was seen in the time spent by the group of patients scanned in the emergency room (40 minutes) when compared with that of the patients for whom no emergency room scanning was available (215 minutes). The residents expressed high confidence in the scanning procedure. There were six misdiagnosed cases, three of them nonruptered ectopic gestations. However, none of these patients was discharged without adequate treatment. CONCLUSION: The study confirmed our hypothesis that obstetrics and gynecology residents can operate and should have available ultrasonography machines in the emergency departments to render quicker and better patient care.