Point-of-Care Ultrasound for Inpatient Management in a Korean Medicine Hospital: Case Series

Objectives: This study aimed to report the diagnostic role of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) in evaluating diverse clinical symptoms in inpatients admitted to a Korean medicine hospital.Methods: A retrospective case series was conducted on inpatients who underwent POCUS for symptom assessment during hospitalization at a Korean medicine hospital from 2023 to 2024. POCUS was performed by a Korean medicine doctor with over ten years of clinical and ultrasound experience. Ultrasound examinations were symptom-driven and carried out at the bedside.Results: Four representative cases are presented. In a pancreatic cancer patient with recurrent vomiting, upper abdominal ultrasound revealed gastric food retention. In a gastric cancer patient with peritoneal metastasis, ascites was visualized around the liver and bowel. Bladder ultrasound in a lymphoma patient with dysuria demonstrated significant residual urine. Soft tissue ultrasound in another lymphoma patient confirmed cellulitis following an inguinal lymph node biopsy. In all cases, POCUS enabled prompt symptom evaluation and guided clinical decision-making, with findings consistent with subsequent imaging or clinical outcomes.Conclusions: POCUS is a valuable diagnostic tool for bedside assessment in Korean medicine inpatients. It complements traditional diagnostic methods and enhances clinical responsiveness through real-time visualization of pathological findings.