285 Improving the Identification of Symptomatic or Ruptured AAA in The Emergency Department

Abstract

Abstract Background rAAA is a life-threatening emergency. Without early treatment, it can be fatal. Patient > 50 presented with abdominal/back pain &hypotension or collapse a diagnosis of rAAA should be considered. Aortic ultrasound is recommended as it is the standard technique used in clinical practice and the screening program. Objective The project aimed to determine the number of patients who were screened for rAAA according to Royal College of Emergency Medicine (RCEM) guidelines and increase the adherence in clinical practice in the emergency department. Method Retrospective baseline data were obtained for 40 patients >50 with abdominal/back pain, hypotension and collapse between 1st of November to 31st of December 2019. Re-auditing was conducted after the first intervention (phase one), which included informing colleagues about RCEM guidance via emails and paper forms to record the scans’ results. In August 2020, a final cycle (phase two) was performed after educational posters were put up in the department. Results Baseline showed that out of the 40 patients only 10% of them received the U/S scan. After phase one, the audit demonstrated an increase in screening to 42%, and in the final cycle, the percentage improved to 53%. Conclusions Routine screening of rAAA were minimal in the emergency department. As a result of the project, more patients received the U/S screening and adherence to RCEM guidelines improved.