• Laurent Zieleskiewicz, Candice Pierrou, Benoit Ragonnet, Maxime Tourret, Cécile Chau, Fabien Craighero, Claire Contargyris, Claude Martin, and Marc Leone.
• Service d'anesthésie et de réanimation, Hôpital Nord, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Marseille, Aix Marseille Université, chemin des Bourrely, 13015, Marseille, France.
• Can J Anaesth. 2013 Aug 1;60(8):796-802.

PurposeManagement of severe pre-eclamptic patients is a challenge for the staff on obstetrical wards. We demonstrate that ultrasound applied to several organs performed at a patient's bedside gave the information required for the patient's management, without the need to transfer her to the radiology department or to call external consultants.Clinical FeaturesA 29-yr-old severely pre-eclamptic patient with HELLP syndrome (hemolysis, cytolysis, thrombopenia) presented, in the post-partum period, with an occult uterine hemorrhage diagnosed with bedside abdominal/pelvic ultrasound. Ultrasound was also used to insert a central venous catheter. After undergoing a hysterectomy to control hemorrhage and receiving activated factor VII, the patient recovered uneventfully. Hemodynamic management was optimized non-invasively using pulmonary and cardiac ultrasound, when the patient developed hemorrhagic shock followed by pulmonary edema. Volume replacement was guided by cardiac ultrasound findings, and we were able to detect incipient interstitial pulmonary edema and follow its course using pulmonary ultrasound.ConclusionPractitioners must be aware of the role of whole-body ultrasound in the diagnosis and treatment of complex, multi-organ conditions such as pre-eclampsia. Moreover, ultrasound helps in the management of global hemodynamics. The training of anesthesiologists in a variety of ultrasound techniques should be encouraged.

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