An overview of point-of-care ultrasound for soft tissue and musculoskeletal applications in the emergency department

BACKGROUND: The skin, soft tissue, and most parts of the musculoskeletal system are relatively superficial anatomical structures and ideal targets for ultrasound examination in the emergency departments. Soft tissue and musculoskeletal ultrasound applications are relatively underused compared to traditional emergency applications, such as trauma, abdominal aortic aneurysm, and chest and cardiovascular systems. MAIN TEXT: It is important to have knowledge about sonoanatomy and landmarks within the skin, soft tissue, and musculoskeletal systems. Portable machines equipped with high-resolution transducers are now available to fulfill this field of applications in many emergency departments. After needling practice, emergency physicians can not only diagnose and identify pathological findings but also provide interventional procedures and treatments. In this review, we will introduce point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) applications regarding the soft tissue and musculoskeletal systems: soft tissue infections, joint effusions, foreign bodies, long bone fractures, muscle and tendon injuries, vascular occlusions, and procedures. CONCLUSIONS: With POCUS, emergency physicians can visualize the structures beneath the skin and provide better and safer cares in the emergency departments. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s40560-016-0173-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.