Point-Of-Care Ultrasound for Rapid Diagnosis and Management of Pericardial Effusion in Penetrating Trauma: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Pericardial effusion (PCE) secondary to penetrating traumas is a critical condition requiring prompt diagnosis and intervention. This meta-analysis evaluated the diagnostic performance of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) in detecting PCE and its impact on patient outcomes. Data from 10 studies involving 3785 patients demonstrated that POCUS has a pooled sensitivity of 87% and specificity of 99%, with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.96. Survival rates among true positive cases were 93%, with a mean time to intervention of 7-13 min. Overall, POCUS has a high specificity and sensitivity for detecting PCE among patients with penetrating injuries. However, a negative POCUS exam should be accompanied by diagnostic modalities, such as computed tomography or formal echocardiography to confirm the absence of PCE.