Neonatal and paediatric point-of-care ultrasound review

Abstract

Purpose: Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) examinations for children and newborns are different from POCUS exams for adults due to dissimilarities in size and body composition, as well as distinct surgical procedures and pathologies in the paediatric patient. This review describes the major paediatric POCUS exams and how to perform them and summarizes the current evidence-based perioperative applications of POCUS in paediatric and neonatal patients. Method: Literature searches using PubMed and Google Scholar databases for the period from January 2000 to November 2021 that included MeSH headings of [ultrasonography] and [point of care systems] and keywords including “ultrasound” for studies involving children aged 0 to 18 years. Results: Paediatric and neonatal POCUS exams can evaluate airway, gastric, pulmonary, cardiac, abdominal, vascular, and cerebral systems. Discussion: POCUS is rapidly expanding in its utility and presence in the perioperative care of paediatric and neonatal patients as their anatomy and pathophysiology are uniquely suited for ultrasound imaging applications that extend beyond the standard adult POCUS exams. Conclusions: Paediatric POCUS is a powerful adjunct that complements and augments clinical diagnostic evaluation and treatment.