Journal of ultrasound in medicine : official journal of the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine
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Vascular access is the most commonly performed invasive procedure in medicine. For more than 20 years, ultrasound has been shown to improve the success and decrease complications of central venous access; however, it is still not universally used for this procedure. Ultrasound may also be used to facilitate difficult peripheral vascular access, potentially avoiding other more invasive procedures such as central or intraosseus vascular access. This article reviews some of the indications and evidence for ultrasound-guided vascular access, provides tips for successful ultrasound guidance, and discusses barriers to adoption.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Integrated cardiopulmonary sonography: a useful tool for assessment of acute pulmonary edema in the intensive care unit.
Bedside sonography has become a popular method of assessment of critically ill patients with shock and dyspnea. This study evaluated the usefulness of integrated cardiopulmonary sonography for assessment of acute pulmonary edema. ⋯ Integrated cardiopulmonary sonography resulted in faster and better-informed clinical decision making, shortened the time to diagnosis of the pulmonary edema etiology, and decreased fluid use. However, the impact of this examination on prognoses requires further study. We propose that integrated cardiopulmonary sonography may be a useful bedside tool for treatment of ICU patients with acute pulmonary edema.