Point-of-Care Ultrasound Management and Monitoring in Critical Care

Abstract

Point-of-care clinical ultrasound (PoCUS) is ultrasonography brought to the patients in multiple settings and performed by the provider in real time; it is a multi-goal, dynamic, problem-based approach that allows the integration of images directly in the clinical evaluation, granting the recognition of specific patterns of disease. PoCUS can successfully be used for the emergency and ICU evaluation of critical patients. It allows the real-time assessment of multiple districts parallel with the clinical ABCDE management of critical patients. PoCUS represents an added value helping in a better definition of airway problems, lung pathologies (breathing), hemodynamically unstable situations (circulation), neurological damages (disability), and the complete characterization of other lesions (exposure). PoCUS is also a valuable aid during invasive procedures providing a visual guidance and diminishing technical complications. PoCUS, being a fast and replicable technique, can be used as a valid monitoring instrument to constantly keep track of the patient’s clinical status, anticipating potential detrimental evolutions, and can be considered a precious tool guiding the correct management of critical patients.