Ultrasonographic Evaluation of Physiologic Free Intraperitoneal Fluid in Healthy Children

What is it about?

The detection of intraperitoneal free fluid is an important finding in the sonographic evaluation of the pediatric abdomen, especially in the context of blunt abdominal trauma. Our study revealed that physiologic free fluid within the pelvis is a common finding in the pediatric population. This paper also examined its relation to pubertal status and gender.

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Photo by Andrew Seaman on Unsplash

Photo by Andrew Seaman on Unsplash

Why is it important?

Our findings demonstrate that a significant portion of healthy children likely have less than 1 mL of physiologic free fluid in the pelvis; however, some may have slightly larger volumes, especially pubertal females. These obtained volume measurements across various pediatric subgroups can hopefully help to expand further knowledge and research, specifically in the determination on how best to incorporate the FAST exam into the trauma evaluation of children.