• Grace S Rozycki, Kathryn M Tchorz, Kimberly J Riehle, Aaron Hattaway, and Deepak K Naidu.
• Department of Surgery, Emory University School of Medicine, and Grady Memorial Hospital, Atlanta, GA30303, USA.grozyck@emory.edu
• Arch Surg Chicago. 2004 Mar 1;139(3):275-80.

HypothesisA focused, surgeon-performed ultrasound examination of the common femoral veins is an accurate screening tool for the detection of common femoral vein thrombosis in high-risk, critically ill patients.DesignA prospective study using a focused ultrasound examination for findings consistent with deep vein thrombosis of the common femoral veins. The results of these examinations were compared with those of duplex imaging or computed tomographic venography studies.SettingSurgical intensive care unit.PatientsAll critically ill patients who were admitted to the surgical intensive care unit and considered to be at high risk for the development of deep vein thrombosis.Main Outcome MeasurePresence of deep vein thrombosis in the common femoral veins.ResultsDuring a 16-month period, surgeons performed 306 ultrasound examinations on 220 critically ill surgical patients. The results included 295 true negative, 9 true positive, 1 false negative, and 1 false positive, yielding a 90.0% sensitivity, 99.6% specificity, and 99.3% accuracy.ConclusionA focused, surgeon-performed ultrasound examination is a rapid and accurate screening method to detect common femoral vein thrombosis in critically ill patients as well as to examine those patients in whom pulmonary embolism is strongly suspected.

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