Point-Of-Care Ultrasound to Assess Anuria in Children
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CME REVIEW ARTICLE Point-of-Care Ultrasound to Assess Anuria in Children Matthew D. Steimle, DO, Jennifer Plumb, MD, MPH, and Howard M. Corneli, MD patients to stay abreast of the most current advances in medicine Abstract: Anuria in children may arise from a host of causes and is a fre- and provide the safest, most efficient, state-of-the-art care. Point- quent concern in the emergency department. This review focuses on differ- of-care US can help us meet this goal.” entiating common causes of obstructive and nonobstructive anuria and the role of point-of-care ultrasound in this evaluation. We discuss some indications and basic techniques for bedside ultrasound imaging of the CLINICAL CONSIDERATIONS urinary system. In some cases, as for example with obvious dehydration or known renal failure, anuria is not mysterious, and evaluation can Key Words: point-of-care ultrasound, anuria, imaging, evaluation, be directed without imaging. In many other cases, however, diagnosis point-of-care US can be a simple and helpful way to assess urine (Pediatr Emer Care 2016;32: 544–548) volume, differentiate urinary retention in the bladder from other causes, evaluate other pathology, and, detect obstructive causes. TARGET AUDIENCE When should point-of-care US be performed? Because this imag- ing is low-risk, and rapid, early use is encouraged in any case This article is intended for health care providers who see chil- where it might be helpful. Scanning the bladder first answers the dren and adolescents in acute care settings. Pediatric emergency key question of whether urine is present. When a urine sample medicine providers, emergency medicine providers, and those is sought, an empty bladder may suggest rehydration before ei- working in acute care pediatric offices and urgent centers may ther attempted voiding or, if indicated, catheterization. If, on the have particular interest in this article. other hand, an overdistended bladder, hydronephrotic kidney, or hydroureter are seen, alone or in combination, this can quickly LEARNING OBJECTVES guide management to more definitive imaging or consultation, After completion of this article, the reader should be able to: avoiding delay and unneeded testing and treatment. 1. Identify common etiologies of obstructive and nonobstructive Artifactual or apparent anuria may arise from several causes anuria in children. in a child who is actually voiding; this is common when diarrhea 2. Identify the key points in ultrasound (US) differentiation be- obscures the presence of urine in diapers, when another caretaker tween obstructive and nonobstructive anuria. changes a wet diaper without a parent's awareness, or when a 3. Describe techniques for performing point-of-care US evaluation young child gives a misleading verbal report. Scant but adequate of the pediatric urinary collecting system to identify obstruction. urination can be missed when modern superabsorbent diapers appear misleadingly dry. In a well-appearing child, the finding of a normal volume of urine in the bladder on US may confirm hildren presenting with a history or chief complaint of anuria that kidney function, hydration, and voiding do not need are a common challenge for the clinician. The differential di- C further investigation. agnosis is diverse, spanning causes from dehydration or urinary An especially common cause of urinary retention in children retention to urinary tract obstruction or kidney failure. In some is dysuria leading to voluntary urine withholding, bladder disten- cases, the history and physical examination may be clear enough tion, more dysuria, and a cycle of pain and anuria. This sequence to direct care and avoid unnecessary testing. In other cases, how- may be suggested in cases where a history or suspicion of dysuria ever, point-of-care US can be useful to quickly and easily guide accompanies abdominal pain or a palpable bladder. Typical sce- further testing and treatment. narios in children include not only urinary tract infection, but also The kidney and bladder are sonographically accessible and straddle injury or vulvovaginitis in girls, meatitis or minor penile recognizable even by those new to US. Thus, the urinary tract trauma in boys, recent catheterization or urologic procedures, con- can be a useful starting point in learning and teaching ultrasonog- 1 stipation with painful stool retention, and others. raphy in the acute care setting. In cases of suspected voluntary retention leading to bladder A recent policy statement2 by the American Academy of Pe- neck contractions, US confirmation of bladder distention and diatrics endorses the use of point-of-care US in the pediatric emer- quantification of bladder volume may be sufficient to direct ap- gency department: “Ultimately, this will improve the care of propriate care. If recent catheterization or instrumentation is the pediatric patients…. As much as it is our responsibility to under- cause, common sense suggests possible urologic consultation stand the limitations and challenges associated with integrating and a reasonable, sometimes prolonged, period of waiting for point-of-care US into pediatrics, it is our responsibility to our spontaneous voiding in order to avoid renewing a cycle of pain Assistant Professor of Pediatrics and Director of Emergency Ultrasound and withholding. If, however, bladder distention is causing severe (Steimle), Assistant Professor of Pediatrics (Plumb), Professor of Pediatrics pain, especially in suspected cases of simple inflammation, infec- (Corneli), Division of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, tion, or minor injury, one-time catheterization may be helpful. University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT. In these cases, the authors have sometimes achieved good re- The authors and staff in a position to control the content of this CME activity and their spouses/life partners (if any) have disclosed that they have no sults by passing a small straight urinary catheter lubricated with financial relationships with, or financial interest in, any commercial 2% viscous xylocaine to relieve bladder distention (the xylocaine organizations pertaining to this educational activity. does not notably reduce the initial pain of catheterization, but is Reprints: Matthew Steimle, DO, Division of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, intended to lessen subsequent dysuria and avoid a repeated cycle University of Utah School of Medicine, 295 Chipeta Way, SLC, UT 84108 (e‐mail: [email protected]). of urinary retention). The volume of total urinary drainage should Copyright © 2016 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved. be noted. The urine should be sent for urinalysis and for culture ISSN: 0749-5161 if indicated. 544 www.pec-online.com Pediatric Emergency Care • Volume 32, Number 8, August 2016 Copyright © 2016 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved. Pediatric Emergency Care • Volume 32, Number 8, August 2016 Point-of-Care Ultrasound to Assess Anuria FIGURE 1. Bladder ultrasound imaging and measurement. Left image shows transverse view with width and depth (length) measurements; right image shows sagittal view with height measurement. Also note volume as calculated by computed algorithm. In some cases of urinary retention, point-of-care US may also Imaging is the usual preferred means of assessing for urinary suggest evidence for a suspected cause of dysuria, as for example, obstruction, and US is often the first modality of choice. Point- bladder wall thickening in cystitis. of-care US will suggest the relative level of the obstruction, In any case of bladder distention, point-of-care US of the ure- distinguishing distention of the bladder from that of the ureter ters and kidneys is suggested. Importantly, the presence of hydro- or kidney. nephrosis or hydroureter or both suggests that bladder distention If obstruction is suggested by point-of-care US, further imag- is not acute. Urologic consultation may be helpful and is also sug- ing and documentation may follow. Computed tomography may gested if catheterization is contraindicated or unsuccessful. be indicated, for example, in patients with acute flank pain and Less common causes of urine retention in children may in- suspected nephrolithiasis, or where visualization of the ureters clude neurologic emergencies (eg, spinal cord dysfunction) as is required.10 well as medication side effects or toxicity. In many cases, quantification of bladder volume is helpful (Fig. 1). Measurement of bladder wall thickness can also be re- Specific Scenarios vealing. Table 1 contains examples of formulas and normal values Beyond the common questions of artifactual anuria, possible for these measurements. dehydration, or suspected urinary retention, other presentations Even when bladder volume is the chief question, experts sug- gest US screening of the kidneys and ureters. This additional ex- amination takes little time and may discover important associated findings, such as upper tract distention in cases of vesicoureteral TABLE 1. Bladder Measurements, Calculation, and Normal Values reflux. It may also reveal incidental findings that affect care, such as preexisting hydronephrosis or polycystic kidney. Although up- Calculated Bladder Volume* per tract obstruction can cause anuria with a single kidney or Length (front to back)  width x height  0.53†3 collecting system, a detailed discussion of the causes and US find- ‡ Estimated normal bladder capacity in children ings of upper tract abnormalities is beyond the scope of this re- 4 1,7–9 (Age