Point-of-Care Ultrasound Facilitated Detection of Femoral Occlusive Septic Emboli During Mitral Valve Surgery: A Case Report

A A Pract. 2018 Jan 1;10(1):1-4. doi: 10.1213/XAA.0000000000000619.

Abstract

Acute lower extremity ischemia from septic emboli is a surgical emergency. Timely diagnosis and management are critical to improve patient outcome. However, traditional diagnostic modalities such as intraoperative angiogram are time-consuming, require special equipment and personnel, and introduce contrast exposure for critically ill patients. There are limited reports of utilization of point-of-care ultrasound to detect peripheral septic emboli. We present a case where femoral occlusive septic emboli were identified by point-of-care ultrasound after mitral valve replacement. This facilitated early surgical embolectomy and limb salvage. We suggest that perioperative point-of-care ultrasonography should be used as a first-line screening test in patients with acute lower extremity ischemia.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Arterial Occlusive Diseases / diagnostic imaging*
  • Embolism / diagnostic imaging*
  • Femoral Artery / diagnostic imaging*
  • Humans
  • Intraoperative Complications / diagnostic imaging*
  • Male
  • Mitral Valve / surgery*
  • Point-of-Care Systems*
  • Ultrasonography