Cardiac point-of-care ultrasound: Practical integration in the pediatric and neonatal intensive care settings

Conclusion: Cardiac POCUS is a technology and tool that reveals important real-time information at the bedside of the critically  ill child and infant. Understanding strengths and limitations of cardiac POCUS views and protocolizing an approach to answer focused clinical questions provides a framework for training and translation to clinical care.What is Known:• Ultrasound technology is now ubiquitous among pediatric critical care and neonatology settings, and growing literature supports an expanded role in not only procedural but also diagnostic applications.• Cardiac POCUS influences provider perception of pathophysiology and changes clinical management.What is New:• Effective cardiac POCUS training and subsequent translation to clinical practice should improve when clinical questions and protocolized approaches to image acquisition are standardized within a specialty.• Cardiac POCUS views have strengths and limitations which must be recognized when assessing the hemodynamic profile of a child or neonate.
Source: European Journal of Pediatrics - Category: Pediatrics Source Type: research