3R4XVG2G
type: UserItem
resource: Point-of-Care Ultrasound Diagnosis of Acute High Altitude Illness: A Case Report
tagged: UserTag
  label: *Altitude Sickness/diagnostic imaging
tagged: UserTag
  label: *Point-of-Care Systems
tagged: UserTag
  label: Altitude
tagged: UserTag
  label: Humans
tagged: UserTag
  label: Lung
tagged: UserTag
  label: Male
tagged: UserTag
  label: Ultrasonography
tagged: UserTag
  label: acclimatization
tagged: UserTag
  label: ataxia
tagged: UserTag
  label: high altitude cerebral edema
tagged: UserTag
  label: high altitude pulmonary edema

Point-of-Care Ultrasound Diagnosis of Acute High Altitude Illness: A Case Report
type: AcademicArticle
abstract: With the advent of high-quality portable ultrasound machines, point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) has gained interest as a promising diagnostic tool for patients with high altitude illness. Although POCUS is used successfully in hospital environments to detect interstitial pulmonary edema and increased intracranial pressure, the relationship between specific sonographic criteria and high altitude illness is still unclear. We report the case of a healthy 32-y-old male who developed acute respiratory distress and neurologic impairment at 4321 m while participating in a high altitude medical research expedition. We discuss the potential of POCUS to diagnose acute high altitude illness by lung ultrasound, optic nerve sheath diameter measurement, and echocardiography. Ultrasound in combination with clinical findings helped us to exclude relevant differential diagnoses, start on-site treatment, and organize an evacuation. We used serial clinical and ultrasound examinations to assess the patient over time. Although its role in high altitude medicine needs further investigation, we believe that POCUS can be a valuable tool to aid clinical decision-making in remote, high altitude environments.
pages: 204-209
doi: 10.1016/j.wem.2020.12.004
source: 33744108
creator: Person
author list: Person
is part of: Issue
  date: 2021-03-22
  volume: 32
  issue: 2
  is part of: Wilderness Environ Med
    type: Journal
    issn: 1545-1534 (Electronic) 1080-6032 (Linking)

Person
given name: F.
surname: Wipplinger

Person
given name: N.
surname: Holthof

Person
given name: J.
surname: Lienert

Person
given name: A.
surname: Budowski

Person
given name: M. B.
surname: Maeder

Person
given name: D.
surname: Moens