Ultrasound to View Abdominal Wall Muscle Layers

The American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) views ultrasound-guided nerve blocks to be a core skill for emergency medicine physicians. They are used widely, commonly for various traumatic injuries, both for repair/stabilization of injuries, as well as for pain control while awaiting definitive management. Ultrasound is often used to identify specific nerves or fascial planes to guide deposition of local anesthetic. Some of these blocks include interscalene brachial plexus blocks to help manage shoulder dislocation, supraclavicular brachial plexus nerve blocks to help manage elbow dislocation or distal wrist fracture reductions, fascia iliaca plane block for pain control of hip fractures patients awaiting definitive surgery, and serratus anterior plane block to help manage rib fracture pain. As these techniques become more mainstream due to increasing focus upon them in residency