The merit of rural point-of-care ultrasound: Carotid pseudoaneurysm case report
Introduction: Extracranial carotid artery aneurysms and pseudoaneurysms are rare, comprising less than 4% of all peripheral artery aneurysms. Rural primary health care facilities often face significant challenges because of limited access to formal imaging. Point-of-care ultrasound (PoCUS) has the p...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
AOSIS
2025-07-01
|
| Series: | African Journal of Primary Health Care & Family Medicine |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://phcfm.org/index.php/phcfm/article/view/4959 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1839581954992766976 |
|---|---|
| author | Jan C. Thirion Daniël J. Van Hoving |
| author_facet | Jan C. Thirion Daniël J. Van Hoving |
| author_sort | Jan C. Thirion |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Introduction: Extracranial carotid artery aneurysms and pseudoaneurysms are rare, comprising less than 4% of all peripheral artery aneurysms. Rural primary health care facilities often face significant challenges because of limited access to formal imaging. Point-of-care ultrasound (PoCUS) has the potential to bridge this gap, accelerating timely diagnosis and management in remote settings.
Patient presentation: A 19-year-old male presented to a rural primary health care clinic in the Western Cape of South Africa with a 3-week history of left-sided neck swelling and recent odynophagia. Physical examination revealed a firm, pulsatile mass with an audible bruit.
Management and outcome: Formal imaging was unavailable for several months, delaying surgical advice. However, the clinic’s newly procured mobile ultrasound allowed for PoCUS, which identified a pulsatile vascular lesion consistent with a carotid pseudoaneurysm. Computed tomography angiography confirmed the diagnosis, and the patient was referred for tertiary care where the lesion was repaired. He had vasculitis on histology and exhibited inconclusive features of a connective tissue disorder, but a definitive cause was not found. Despite multiple attempts, he could not be contacted for follow-up.
Conclusion: This case highlights how PoCUS can accelerate definitive management in resource-limited settings.
Contribution: Point-of-care ultrasound is potentially an effective, cost-efficient diagnostic tool in rural healthcare settings but requires significant investment in equipment and training. Further research is needed to evaluate its feasibility in South African rural health systems. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-c0b51e10f4a54cd9ba28a980bba7d1d3 |
| institution | Matheson Library |
| issn | 2071-2928 2071-2936 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | AOSIS |
| record_format | Article |
| series | African Journal of Primary Health Care & Family Medicine |
| spelling | doaj-art-c0b51e10f4a54cd9ba28a980bba7d1d32025-08-04T09:20:32ZengAOSISAfrican Journal of Primary Health Care & Family Medicine2071-29282071-29362025-07-01171e1e310.4102/phcfm.v17i1.49591279The merit of rural point-of-care ultrasound: Carotid pseudoaneurysm case reportJan C. Thirion0Daniël J. Van Hoving1Rural Health Services, Western Cape Government, WorcesterDivision of Emergency Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, ParowIntroduction: Extracranial carotid artery aneurysms and pseudoaneurysms are rare, comprising less than 4% of all peripheral artery aneurysms. Rural primary health care facilities often face significant challenges because of limited access to formal imaging. Point-of-care ultrasound (PoCUS) has the potential to bridge this gap, accelerating timely diagnosis and management in remote settings. Patient presentation: A 19-year-old male presented to a rural primary health care clinic in the Western Cape of South Africa with a 3-week history of left-sided neck swelling and recent odynophagia. Physical examination revealed a firm, pulsatile mass with an audible bruit. Management and outcome: Formal imaging was unavailable for several months, delaying surgical advice. However, the clinic’s newly procured mobile ultrasound allowed for PoCUS, which identified a pulsatile vascular lesion consistent with a carotid pseudoaneurysm. Computed tomography angiography confirmed the diagnosis, and the patient was referred for tertiary care where the lesion was repaired. He had vasculitis on histology and exhibited inconclusive features of a connective tissue disorder, but a definitive cause was not found. Despite multiple attempts, he could not be contacted for follow-up. Conclusion: This case highlights how PoCUS can accelerate definitive management in resource-limited settings. Contribution: Point-of-care ultrasound is potentially an effective, cost-efficient diagnostic tool in rural healthcare settings but requires significant investment in equipment and training. Further research is needed to evaluate its feasibility in South African rural health systems.https://phcfm.org/index.php/phcfm/article/view/4959pocusultrasoundpseudoaneurysmcarotidprimary careimaginggpclinicrural |
| spellingShingle | Jan C. Thirion Daniël J. Van Hoving The merit of rural point-of-care ultrasound: Carotid pseudoaneurysm case report African Journal of Primary Health Care & Family Medicine pocus ultrasound pseudoaneurysm carotid primary care imaging gp clinic rural |
| title | The merit of rural point-of-care ultrasound: Carotid pseudoaneurysm case report |
| title_full | The merit of rural point-of-care ultrasound: Carotid pseudoaneurysm case report |
| title_fullStr | The merit of rural point-of-care ultrasound: Carotid pseudoaneurysm case report |
| title_full_unstemmed | The merit of rural point-of-care ultrasound: Carotid pseudoaneurysm case report |
| title_short | The merit of rural point-of-care ultrasound: Carotid pseudoaneurysm case report |
| title_sort | merit of rural point of care ultrasound carotid pseudoaneurysm case report |
| topic | pocus ultrasound pseudoaneurysm carotid primary care imaging gp clinic rural |
| url | https://phcfm.org/index.php/phcfm/article/view/4959 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT jancthirion themeritofruralpointofcareultrasoundcarotidpseudoaneurysmcasereport AT danieljvanhoving themeritofruralpointofcareultrasoundcarotidpseudoaneurysmcasereport AT jancthirion meritofruralpointofcareultrasoundcarotidpseudoaneurysmcasereport AT danieljvanhoving meritofruralpointofcareultrasoundcarotidpseudoaneurysmcasereport |