Utilizing POCUS For Timely Escalation of Care in a Jaundiced Patient with Complex Medical History

In this case report, we demonstrated the role of POCUS in the diagnosis of pancreatic adenocarcinoma, highlighting its impact in early detection in the primary care setting that allowed for timely escalation of care, as well as its subsequent role in treatment planning. When working up a patient with signs of hyperbilirubinemia (jaundice, pruritis, dark urine), POCUS can serve as a valuable tool for confirming biliary tract obstruction. Even when the correct end diagnosis may not be correct, POCUS efficiently allows for the escalation of care for further care whether it be intervention (for example cholecystectomy) or further workup (for example MRCP). We believe that in-office POCUS should be central in the initial work up of painless jaundice specifically for its ability to guide further therapy or work up in a manner that is most efficient for the patient.