ACCURACY OF FAST PERFORMED BY SURGICAL RESIDENTS IN BLUNT ABDOMINAL TRAUMA: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY IN A TERTIARY PHILIPPINE GOVERNMENT HOSPITAL aizaisnain@gmail.com

232-01

ACCURACY OF FAST PERFORMED BY SURGICAL RESIDENTS IN BLUNT ABDOMINAL TRAUMA: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY IN A TERTIARY PHILIPPINE GOVERNMENT HOSPITAL

3

Philippines

Oral or Poster

Focused Assessment with Sonography for Trauma (FAST) is a widely utilized tool in the early evaluation of blunt abdominal trauma (BAT). While its sensitivity and utility are well documented, diagnostic accuracy remains highly dependent on operator experience. This study investigates the performance of senior surgical residents in conducting FAST examinations within a resource-limited, high-volume trauma setting in the Philippines—a context largely underrepresented in global literature.

A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 150 BAT patients admitted to a tertiary government hospital from April 2023 to April 2024. All patients underwent FAST performed by senior surgical residents. Results were compared with CT scan and/or intraoperative findings. Diagnostic parameters—including sensitivity, specificity, predictive values, and ROC AUC—were calculated.

Of the 150 patients, 75% were male, with a mean age of 36 years. FAST yielded a sensitivity of 96.8%, specificity of 64.8%, PPV of 65.9%, NPV of 96.6%, and an overall accuracy of 78%. The AUC was 0.808, indicating good diagnostic performance. FAST missed 30 injuries later confirmed by surgery, but correctly identified 60 out of 62 true positives.

This study presents original data demonstrating that surgical residents, with proper training, can achieve high sensitivity in performing FAST. In resource-constrained settings, FAST remains a valuable frontline tool. However, confirmatory imaging is essential to address its moderate specificity. Findings support targeted ultrasound training in surgical residency programs globally.