Ultrasonografía focalizada en situaciones de urgencia

Abstract

“Point of Care Ultrasonography” offers numerous clinical advantages in guiding patient management by answering specific questions and as a support tool for invasive procedures. By avoiding unnecessary transfers and more complex examinations, it also has logistical benefits. Its use has spread beyond the field of radiology to various medical specialties, constituting a valuable tool for anesthetic work. Patients in emergency care are one of the several groups that benefit from this relatively new tool that allows to complement the clinical examination of the patient by providing additional information after the physical examination. To optimize its use, it is necessary to know some basic concepts of ultrasound physics, as well as types of transducers, ultrasound modalities, terminology and some concepts of obtaining images (window, plane, vision). The ultrasound-guided procedures for vascular access and some ultrasound-assisted examinations are described. Besides, a brief description of the FOCUS Echocardiography (Focus Oriented Cardiac Ultrasound) is given, as there is a special article for it. Pleural, full stomach, extended FAST, resuscitation, airway and optic nerve ultrasonographies are described with further detail. Finally, some simple and validated protocols for the use of anesthesiologists, emergency physicians and intensivists are listed and briefly described, which make this technique ideal for use at the bedside in time-dependent situations: FOCUS, FAST, RUSH, ACES FATE, BLUE, FALL and FEEL.