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

Seung-Yun Oh; Myungjin Oh; Yoomin Choi; Oh, Seung-Yun; Oh, Myungjin; Choi, Yoomin

doi:10.13048/jkm.25026

JKM > Volume 46(2); 2025 > Article

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

Case Report

The Journal of Korean Medicine 2025; 46(2): 170-176.

Published online: June 1, 2025

DOI: https://doi.org/10.13048/jkm.25026

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

Seung-Yun Oh¹

, Myungjin Oh²

, Yoomin Choi¹^{, *}

¹Woosuk University Medical Center

²Keumkang Korean Medical Clinic

Correspondence to: Yoo-Min Choi, Woosuk University Korean Medicine Hospital, 46 Eoeun-ro, Wansan-gu, Jeonju-si, Jeollabuk-do, Republic of Korea 54987, Tel: +63-290-9025, E-mail: yoomin@woosuk.ac.kr

Received April 17, 2025 Revised May 8, 2025 Accepted May 22, 2025

Abstract

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.

Keywords: Ultrasonography, Point-of-Care Testing, Korean Medicine, Case reports

Fig. 1

Point-Of-Care Ultrasound of repeated vomiting in stage IV pancreatic cancer.

[A] A yellow dotted line indicates the boundary of the gastric wall. Despite fasting, the stomach appears filled with food, showing peristalsis but no evidence of food passage. [B] Abdominal CT reveals gastric dilation and food retention. The dotted trapezoidal line indicates the ultrasound scanning area.

Fig. 2

Point-Of-Care Ultrasound of ascites around the liver (A) and peritoneum (B) in stage IV gastric cancer.

Fig. 3

Point-of-Care Ultrasound for dysuria. Sagittal image of the bladder. [A] Bladder distension before voiding. [B] Residual urine after voiding.

Fig. 4

Point-of-care Ultrasound of cellulitis following an inguinal lymph node biopsy

[A] Initial ultrasound findings show characteristic features of cellulitis, including hyperechoic, cobblestone-like fat lobules and hypoechoic areas filled with exudates. [B] Normalized ultrasound image after 10 weeks of follow-up.

참고문헌

1. Soni N. J., Arntfield R., Kory P.(2019). Point of Care Ultrasound. 2nd ed. Elsevier.

2. Christopher, L. M., & Joshua, A. C. (2011). Point-of-Care Ultrasonography. N Engl J Med, 364(8), 749-757. https://doi.org/10.1056/nejmra0909487

3. Kim, S. H., Yook, T. H., Song, B. Y., Choi, Y. M., Shin, J. H., & Shin, H. J., et al (2019). A Review of the Clinical Use of Ultrasound in Korean Traditional Medicine. J Acupunct Res, 36(4), 204-210. https://doi.org/10.13045/jar.2019.00297

4. Kim, B. H., Yook, T. H., Song, B. Y., Choi, Y. M., Shin, J. H., & Lee, S., et al (2018). Trends in Domestic and Foreign Clinical Research on Ultrasound-Guided Acupuncture. J Acupunct Res, 35(4), 214-218. https://doi.org/10.13045/jar.2018.00255

5. Yoon, J. H., Park, S. B., Kim, E. H., Lee, J. Y., & Yoon, S. W. (2021). A Survey on Clinical Practice Patterns of Patients with Cancer at Korean Medical Hospitals for Korean Medicine Cancer Registry. J of Kor Traditional Oncology, 26(1), 17-27. https://doi.org/10.15432/JKTO.2021.26.1.017

6. Kim, K. J., Jeon, H. J., Ko, S. J., & Park, J. W. (2021). Clinical Abdominal Examinations in Korean Medicine Based on Expert Opinions. J. Int. Korean Med, 42, 1211-1222. https://doi.org/10.22246/jikm.2021.42.6.1211

7. Kim, J. Y., Yun, J. M., Lee, S. H., Lee, Y. J., Ko, D. K., & Heo, I., et al (2024). Survey on the current usage of ultrasound-guided procedures in Korean Medicine Clinics and Hospitals. Medicine, 103(14), e37659. https://doi.org/10.1097/MD.0000000000037659

8. Jeon, B. J., & Kim, K. H. (2023). A Study on the Precedents about Violation of the Medical Service Act in Accordance with Use of Ultrasonic Diagnostic Equipment of Korean Medicine Doctors. Studies on Humanities and Social Sciences, 31(1), 386-405. https://doi.org/10.22924/jhss.31.1.202302.017

9. Miller, D. L., Abo, A., Abramowicz, J. S., Bigelow, T. A., Dalecki, D., & Dickman, E., et al (2019). Diagnostic Ultrasound Safety Review for Point-of-Care Ultrasound Practitioners. J Ultrasound Med, 39(6), 1069-1084. https://doi.org/10.1002/jum.15202

10. Chu, H., Park, S., Kang, K., Lee, J., Oh, J., & Yoon, J., et al (2023). Current Insights and Updates in Ultrasound-Guided Acupuncture: A Comprehensive Review and Status Report. J Acupotomy, 7, 121-130. https://doi.org/10.54461/JAcupotomy.2023.7.2.121

11. Sekiguchi, H. (2016). Tools of the Trade: Point-of-Care Ultrasonography as a Stethoscope. Semin Respir Crit Care Med, 37(1), 68-87. https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0035-1570353

12. Sorensen, B., & Hunskaar, S. (2019). Point-of-care ultrasound in primary care: a systematic review of generalist performed point-of-care ultrasound in unselected populations. Ultrasound J, 11(1), 31. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13089–019-0145-4

13. Kim, J. B., & Kim, W. H. (1997). A study on the concept of Ulkyuk and Banui. Journal of Life Science, 7(3), 241-52.

14. Nam, S. U., Park, J. W., & Kim, J. S. (2018). Correlation Analysis Between Stomach Qi Deficiency Pattern and Gastric Emptying Measured by Abdominal Ultrasonography in Patients with Functional Dyspepsia. J. Int. Korean Med, 39(3), 405-425. https://doi.org/10.22246/jikm.2018.39.3.405

15. Voronina, A., Aurelien, N., Bergin, E., & Roy-Burman, P. (2023). Troubleshooting Paracentesis Using POCUS. POCUS Journal, 8, 136-141. https://doi.org/10.24908/pocus.v8i2.16265

16. Stevens, E. (2005). Bladder ultrasound: avoiding unnecessary catheterizations. Medsurg Nurs, 14(4), 249-53.

17. Knaysi, G., Ringelberg, J., Stadlberger, N., & Soucy, Z. (2020). Point of Care Ultrasound Use by Associate Providers for Differentiating Abscess Versus Cellulitis Skin and Soft Tissue Infection in the Emergency Department. The Journal of Emergency Medicine, 60(1), e1-e7. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.jemermed.2020.07.028