As previous and future chapters will attest, ultrasonography (US) is an indispensable modality in assessing patients in the hospital and outpatient setting. In the past few years, compact, robust, and portable US machines have been developed for use in various…
Overview Children and neonates are ideal candidates for the implementation of the holistic approach (HOLA) critical care ultrasound concept (see Chapter 1 ). This is mainly due to their small body size, which permits the fast application of all possible…
Overview Intraabdominal hypertension (IAH) and abdominal compartment syndrome (ACS) are well-documented causes of morbidity and mortality in the critically ill. IAH and ACS may affect almost every organ system. The World Society of the Abdominal Compartment Syndrome ( www.wsacs.org )…
Overview Ultrasound has become a permanent part of the evaluation of trauma patients ever since its first use in the emergency department more than 30 years ago. First used in Europe in the 1970s, abdominal ultrasound ultimately replaced diagnostic peritoneal…
Ultrasound (US) has become an indispensable part of the surgeon’s armamentarium, useful in both bedside assessment and operative treatment. Because the diagnostic and critical care applications of US are discussed elsewhere, this chapter will focus on intraoperative and US-guided surgical…
Overview This chapter illustrates the basic features of pelvic ultrasound by outlining the exploration of the female genital system, concluding thus the holistic approach (HOLA) ultrasound concept of the abdominal examination (see Chapters 1 and 44 ). Clinician-performed point-of-care pelvic…
Anatomy The oval-shaped kidneys, measuring 9 to 15 cm in length and 4 to 6 cm in width, are located in retroperitoneum between the 12th thoracic and 4th lumbar vertebrae, just lateral to the psoas muscles. The kidneys are surrounded…
Overview Abdominal ultrasound can be used to obtain images of the hepatobiliary, urogenital, and pelvic structures. The approach to the urogenital system, point-of-care pelvic ultrasound, focused assessment with sonography for trauma, and other subjects are discussed in Chapter 42, Chapter…
Overview Despite the well-known advances in cardiovascular surgery over the last 50 years, it remains a high-risk procedure associated with significant morbidity and mortality rates. Currently, patients undergoing cardiovascular operations tend to be older and have more comorbid conditions. This…
Overview Shock is an emergency medical condition caused by inadequate tissue oxygenation. Treatment of shock depends on the underlying cause of the circulatory failure. Ultrasound facilitates rapid evaluation of hemodynamically unstable patients by providing valuable information about not only myocardial…