Ultrasound-guided procedures in acute medicine

Abstract:

The use of various diagnostic or therapeutic procedures is a daily necessity in the treatment of acute patients. This applies in particular to punctures of the blood vessels for vascular access, punctures of the body spaces for the removal of the drain or evacuation of the fluid, punctures of the collection (haematoma, seroma, abscess, etc.), peripheral nerve blocks and other procedures. The use of ultrasound greatly facilitates the procedure and reduces the risk of complications, and it is now practically impossible to perform them without ultrasound when it is available. Procedures that can be performed under ultrasound control are many-fold, but the basic principles are not much different. The most common areas of ultrasound in acute medicine are vascular puncture with placement of a (central venous) catheter, pleural puncture and pericardial puncture.

Key words:
pericardiocentesis; pleural punction; vascular access; ultrasound