Innovative Use of Ultrasound in Emergency Care

Using transoral ultrasound for diagnosing carotid artery dissections represents a novel and practical approach in emergency settings. Clinicians successfully employed this technique on an elderly patient whose neuroimaging did not reveal a clear diagnosis despite a severe decline in consciousness. The procedure allowed them to obtain detailed images of the carotid arteries, identifying significant proximal stenosis, while a transesophageal echo revealed a substantial aortic dissection. This case highlights how innovative ultrasound applications can provide critical insights when traditional imaging methods, such as CT scans, are not feasible due to patient conditions.