E-FAST Protocol

The point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is a bedside imaging tool that enhances diagnostic accuracy and guides clinical decision-making across various settings, especially in critical situations such as trauma. It has become one of the most valuable tools for assessing patients with blunt abdominal trauma, evaluating abdominal penetration, and investigating cases of unexplained hemodynamic instability [1].
Since 1996, the term FAST (Focused Assessment with Sonography in Trauma) has been used to describe a standardized set of ultrasound examinations in injured patients. Its main purpose is to identify the presence of free fluid in the intraperitoneal, intrathoracic, pelvic, or pericardial cavities, as well as the presence of pneumothorax or hemothorax in the case of the eFAST. Its practicality—free of ionizing radiation, noninvasive, and allowing for serial reassessments—makes it an essential technique in the initial evaluation of trauma patients [2].