• Gabriela Cumani Toledo, Alyne Schreider, Gustavo Bittencourt Camilo, Basile ColugnatiFernando AntonioFAhttp://orcid.org/0000-0002-8288-203XUniversidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas e da Saúde de Juiz de Fora, Programa de Pós-graduação em Saúde - Juiz de Fora (MG), Brasil., Natalia Maria da Silva Fernandes, and Marcus Gomes Bastos.
• Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas e da Saúde de Juiz de Fora, Programa de Pós-graduação em Saúde - Juiz de Fora (MG), Brasil.
• Rev Assoc Med Bras (1992). 2021 Feb 1; 67 (2): 195-199.

ObjectiveFree intra-abdominal fluid describes an accumulation of free fluid in the peritoneal cavity. It has different etiologies, but it frequently constitutes a meaningful clinical sign. In this study, the authors interrogate whether abdominal ultrasound augments the medical students' ability to identify free intra-abdominal fluid.MethodsThirty-one medical students without any previous formal ultrasound training were subjected to cognitive assessment before and after four and a half-hour of theoretical lecture and hands-on course about the diagnosis of free intra-abdominal fluid by physical examination and abdominal ultrasound. The hands-on sessions were done in healthy volunteers with a simulated peritoneal catheter and in patients treated with peritoneal dialysis with different amounts of dialysate in their cavity.ResultsThe cognitive assessment before and after the course increased from 6.7±2.3 to 11.6±1.1 points (p<0.0001). The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy in the diagnosis of free intra-abdominal fluid were higher when students used abdominal ultrasound. The students agree with the inclusion of abdominal ultrasound in the diagnose of free intra-abdominal fluid in the undergraduate curriculum.ConclusionsThis study demonstrates that incorporating abdominal ultrasound is feasible and improves medical students' short-time competency in performing and interpreting the findings diagnostic of free intra-abdominal fluid.

8 keywords...

hide…