Ultrasound in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)

Abstract:

Ultrasound has become an indispensable tool for doctors due to its increasing availability and portability. It helps in diagnosis, treatment and prognosis and provides quick answers, which makes it an optimal tool for treating critically ill patients. Point-of-care ultrasound in cardiac arrest (POCUS-CA) represents the fine art of cardiac arrest management and can provide information on the etiology of arrest in patients with a non-fibrillating rhythm, help assess the quality of compressions during cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and ease the defining of the survival prognosis according to the specific findings. In the hands of an experienced sonographer, it is a source of valuable data that can significantly improve patient‘s chances of survival and improve the treatment. Optimizing the effectiveness of POCUS-CA requires prior training of medical staff and a protocolized approach that is familiar to all members of the resuscitation team.

Key words:
cardiac arrest; cardiopulmonary resuscitation; emergency medicine; POCUS-point-of-care ultrasound; ultrasound