Ultrasound-Assisted Pediatric Forearm Fracture Reduction Doesn't Supplant Radiography

In a prospective study of children undergoing closed reduction of a single-bone forearm fracture at a pediatric emergency department, investigators assessed the test characteristics of point-of-care ultrasound for determining successful realignment. Fractures requiring realignment of both forearm bones and those involving the articular surface were excluded.

Sixteen emergency physicians who were novices in ultrasound-facilitated fracture reduction underwent a 1-hour simulation training session before the study. Pre- and post-reduction ultrasound images were taken with a linear probe placed in two orthogonal planes, corresponding to the lateral and anterior-posterior radiographic views. Correlating postreduction fluoroscopic images were revie…