The FAST Examination - Focused Assessment With Sonography In Trauma
The Focused Assessment with Sonography for Trauma is a rapid, bedside, ultrasound examination performed to identify intra-peritoneal haemorrhage or pericardial tamponade.
FAST examines four areas for free fluid:
- Perihepatic & hepato-renal space
- Perisplenic
- Pelvis
- Pericardium
FAST assessment is indicated in trauma patients who give a history of abdominal trauma, are hypotensive, or are unable to provide a reliable history because of impaired consciousness due to head injury or drugs.
FAST is an adjunct to the ATLS primary survey and therefore follows the performance of the ABCs. The ultrasound machine should be immediately available in the trauma room and its use should not interfere with the on-going assessment and management of the patient.
COPYRIGHT_SPINE: Published on https://spinal-injury.net/the-fast-examination/ by Dr. Bill Butcher on 2022-11-03T12:33:57.809Z
Small, portable ultrasound machines are now available which are highly appropriate to the trauma room environment. Standard FAST assessment is carried out using a curvilinear 2.5 or 3.5MHz probe.
How To Perform The FAST Examination
Below are the images for each stage of the FAST examination and examples of positive and negative FAST exams.