Fifteen-minute consultation: Using point of care ultrasound to assess children with respiratory failure

Author(s):  
Helen L Ord ◽  
Michael J Griksaitis

Point of care ultrasound (POCUS) is well established in adult emergency medicine and critical care. It is used for immediate diagnosis and evaluation of the impact of bedside interventions in the acutely unwell child. This article highlights how ultrasound can be helpful in paediatric practice when dealing with the neonate, infant or older child with undifferentiated respiratory distress, respiratory failure or ventilation problems. It highlights indications for use, key diagnostic features of common pathology and outlines the benefits of POCUS in everyday practice.

Author(s):  
Andrew Pattock ◽  
Michelle Kim ◽  
Cooper Kersey ◽  
Linda Liu ◽  
James Kirkpatrick ◽  
...  

Introduction: Cardiac point-of-care ultrasound (c-POCUS) is an increasingly implemented diagnostic tool with the potential to guide clinical management. We sought to characterize and analyze the existing c-POCUS literature with a focus on the temporal trends and differences across specialties. Methods: A literature search for c-POCUS and related terms was conducted using Ovid (MEDLINE and Embase) and Web of Science databases through 2020. Eligible publications were classified by publication type and topic, author specialty, geographical region of senior author, and journal specialty. Results: The initial search produced 1761 potential publications. A strict definition of c-POCUS yielded a final total of 574 cardiac POCUS manuscripts. A yearly increase in c-POCUS publications was observed. Nearly half of publications were original research (48.8%) followed by case report or series (22.8%). Most publications had an emergency medicine senior author (37.5%), followed by cardiology (20.2%), anesthesiology (12.2%), and critical care (12.2%). The proportion authored by emergency medicine and cardiologists has decreased over time while those by anesthesiology and critical care has generally increased, particularly over the last decade. First authorship demonstrated a similar trend. Articles were published at similar numbers in emergency medicine journals (23.0%) and cardiology journals (19.9%). Conclusion: The annual number of c-POCUS publications has steadily increased over time reflecting the increased recognition and utilization of c-POCUS. This study can help inform clinicians of the current state of c-POCUS and augment the discussion surrounding barriers to continued adoption across all specialties.


Author(s):  
Paul Atkinson ◽  
Bob Jarman ◽  
Tim Harris ◽  
Rip Gangahar ◽  
David Lewis ◽  
...  

Point-of-Care Ultrasound in Emergency Medicine and Resuscitation provides a curriculum-based guide to the integration of ultrasound into everyday practice for clinicians in emergency medicine and critical care medicine and for resuscitation. In addition to describing commonly used protocols, we focus on how ultrasound can be used to help to answer specific clinical questions and provide guidance for procedures at the point of care, augmenting traditional clinical skills. This chapter introduces the general concepts of using ultrasound at the bedside, describes how to use point-of-care ultrasound (PoCUS), and provides clinical scenarios as examples of where PoCUS can improve clinical care.


2018 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 219 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohamad Iqhbal ◽  
Julina M. Noor ◽  
Nur A. Karim ◽  
Izzat Ismail ◽  
Halim Sanib ◽  
...  

The use of ultrasonography in acute and critical care medicine is becoming increasingly common. However, use of an airway ultrasound as an adjunct to determine the type of intervention needed and assess complications is not common practice. We report a 56-year-old male who presented to the Emergency Department of the Sungai Buloh Hospital, Selangor, Malaysia, in 2015 with hoarseness, stridor and impending respiratory failure. A point-of-care ultrasound performed to assess the neck and vocal cords indicated a heterogeneous echogenic mass in the larynx, thus ruling out a cricothyroidotomy. The patient was therefore referred for an emergency tracheostomy. This case highlights the importance of point-of-care airway ultrasonography in the assessment of patients with stridor. This imaging technique not only helps to detect the cause of the stridor, but also to determine the feasibility of a cricothyroidotomy in emergency cases.Keywords: Emergency Medicine; Stridor; Ultrasonography; Airway Management; Tracheostomy; Case Report; Malaysia.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mamdouh Souleymane ◽  
Rajkumar Rajendram ◽  
Naveed Mahmood ◽  
Amro M. T. Ghazi ◽  
Yousuf M. S. Kharal ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Training in procedural skills is often suboptimal. The aim of this study was to quantify the needs of residents in internal medicine (IM), critical care (CC), and emergency medicine (EM) for instruction in ultrasound-guided procedures. Methods All IM, EM and CC residents (n = 200) at King Abdulaziz Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, were invited to participate in a questionnaire-based survey to identify skill and experience gaps. The contribution of procedural skills to patient care (i.e. applicability) and proficiency in the sterile technique required to perform ultrasound-guided procedures were rated on Likert scales. Data on training, accreditation, and experience with and without ultrasound were collected. Results The overall response rate was 72% (IM 91%, CC 100%, EM 40%). Although the sample reported that procedural skills were very applicable, 19% (IM n = 25, EM n = 2) had not performed any procedures. However, five residents were accredited in point-of-care ultrasound, 61% of the sample had performed ultrasound-guided procedures and 65% had used landmark techniques. Whilst more internists had performed procedures using landmark techniques, CC and EM residents had performed more ultrasound-guided procedures. Whilst CC residents had not missed any opportunities to perform procedures because supervisors were less available, EM (6) and IM (89) residents had. Whilst skill gaps were only identified in the IM residency programme, experience gaps were present in all three residency programmes. The IM residency programme had larger experience gaps than the CC and EM programmes for all procedural skills. Discussion Residents in IM, CC and EM perceive that ultrasound-guided procedures are relevant to their practice. However, the IM residents performed fewer procedures than CC residents and EM residents at least partly because internists also lack skills in ultrasound. Training in ultrasound-guided procedures may reduce the use of landmark techniques and improve patient safety. Residents in IM, CC and EM therefore require training in ultrasound-guided procedures.


POCUS Journal ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 13-14
Author(s):  
Hadiel Kaiyasah, MD, MRCS (Glasgow), ABHS-GS ◽  
Maryam Al Ali, MBBS

Soft tissue ultrasound (ST-USS) has been shown to be of utmost importance in assessing patients with soft tissue infections in the emergency department or critical care unit. It aids in guiding the management of soft tissue infection based on the sonographic findings.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew G. Hanson ◽  
Barry Chan

Abstract Background Symptomatic pericardial effusion (PCE) presents with non-specific features and are often missed on the initial physical exam, chest X-ray (CXR), and electrocardiogram (ECG). In extreme cases, misdiagnosis can evolve into decompensated cardiac tamponade, a life-threatening obstructive shock. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) on the diagnosis and therapeutic intervention of clinically significant PCE. Methods In a retrospective chart review, we looked at all patients between 2002 and 2018 at a major Canadian academic hospital who had a pericardiocentesis for clinically significant PCE. We extracted the rate of presenting complaints, physical exam findings, X-ray findings, ECG findings, time-to-diagnosis, and time-to-pericardiocentesis and how these were impacted by POCUS. Results The most common presenting symptom was dyspnea (64%) and the average systolic blood pressure (SBP) was 120 mmHg. 86% of people presenting had an effusion > 1 cm, and 89% were circumferential on departmental echocardiogram (ECHO) with 64% having evidence of right atrial systolic collapse and 58% with early diastolic right ventricular collapse. The average time-to-diagnosis with POCUS was 5.9 h compared to > 12 h with other imaging including departmental ECHO. Those who had the PCE identified by POCUS had an average time-to-pericardiocentesis of 28.1 h compared to > 48 h with other diagnostic modalities. Conclusion POCUS expedites the diagnosis of symptomatic PCE given its non-specific clinical findings which, in turn, may accelerate the time-to-intervention.


Cureus ◽  
2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Madeline Schwid ◽  
Owen Harris ◽  
Adaira Landry ◽  
Andrew Eyre ◽  
Patricia Henwood ◽  
...  

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document