How to perform Point of Care Ultrasound at resuscitation and when it is useful.

Daniel Wastl, Rudolf Horn, Oliver Hoffmann, Armin Seibel, Michael Blaivas, Guido Michels, Christoph F Dietrich, Simone Schwarz, Beatrice Hoffmann Hoffmann, Dieter Von Ow

Journal: Medical ultrasonography 2025;27(2):195-205

PMID: 39420822

Abstract

Point of Care Ultrasound (POCUS) can be useful as a tool before, during and after the performance of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Before or after resuscitation it can help with monitoring unstable hemodynamics, has the potential to identify reversible causes if patient deteriorates. During resuscitation POCUS can help detect potentially treatable causes of the cardiac arrest. Performance of POCUS while resuscitation requires experienced sonologists and a good team structure to embed the examination in advanced cardiovascular life support (ACLS) algorithms. This article gives an overview and tips about how to detect potential reversible causes of patient deterioration in all three phases of CPR. We describe some special situations in which resuscitation could take place. Further we give a comment about sonographic education of physicians and nonacademic medical staf.

Address: Hochtaunus Kliniken Bad Homburg.; University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Department of Medicine, Columbia, South Carolina.; Center da sandà Val Müstair, Sta. Maria.; Notfallzentrum. Krankenhaus der Barmherzigen Brüder Trier, Trier.; DRK Krankenhaus Kirchen, Interdisciplinary intensive care medicine.; Department of Neonatology and Pediatric Intensive Care Medicine, Sana Hospital Duisburg, Duisburg.; Department of Emergency Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston MA, Harvard Medical School.; Department Allgemeine Innere Medizin (DAIM), Kliniken Hirslanden Beau Site, Salem und Permanence, Bern.; Department Allgemeine Innere Medizin (DAIM), Kliniken Hirslanden Beau Site, Salem und Permanence, Bern. [email protected].

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