Increasing Efficiency With Point-of-Care Ultrasound-Guided Arthrocentesis: A Case Report and Procedure Demonstration

Patients with chief complaints of musculoskeletal pain comprise a significant portion of emergency department (ED) visits. Identifying and utilizing methods to expedite diagnosis in these cases may help reduce ED crowding, improve outcomes, and increase patient satisfaction. We present a case in which a 52-year-old man presented to the ED with complaints of unilateral right knee pain, swelling, and stiffness. An initial plain film X-ray showed a large suprapatellar effusion over the patient's arthritic right knee. Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) was used by an ED physician to facilitate a suprapatellar arthrocentesis. The patient tolerated the procedure well, remarking that he had no pain during or after its completion. POCUS can increase the accuracy, efficacy, and speed of procedures for which physicians have traditionally used landmarks or formal radiology consultations. While POCUS can prove helpful, barriers to its widespread implementation still remain. However, these barriers can be addressed with relative ease.