Emergency medicine clinics of North America
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The availability of bedside ultrasonography can dramatically impact the care of patients with cardiac or aortic injuries. A focused, limited echocardiographic examination in the initial evaluation of victims with thoracic injuries can provide vital information the clinician needs to expedite the management of these patients. This article reviews the current use of transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography in patients with thoracic trauma.