Point-of-care ultrasound in the neonatal intensive care unit (ICU)
The use of portable ultrasonography at a patient's bedside for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes is referred to as point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS). It has been used in the area of obstetrics and gynecology for a long time. Its use has recently expanded to include emergency and critical care medicine, as well as neonatal intensive care. POC-US is applicable to all organ systems and has well-defined and ever-changing indications. It is also concentrated, fast, and does not expose patients to ionizing radiation, all of which are significant advantages. POCUS has the ability to change the way patients are handled. It is a helpful addition to evaluating the patient's medical history and performing a physical examination.
Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is an emerging clinical tool in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Recent research describing the use of POCUS in the NICU for various applications has piqued neonatologists' interest. The assessment and serial monitoring of common pulmonary diseases, hemodynamic instability, patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), chronic pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN), necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), and intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) are among the diagnostic applications for POCUS in the NICU. Vascular entry, endotracheal intubation, lumbar puncture, and fluid drainage are all procedures that can be performed.
In today's critical care, point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is a must-have tool. It appears to play a bigger role in neonates and infants, where other monitoring strategies aren't always available. The use of POCUS in the NICU is becoming more popular. The use of POCUS for a variety of diagnostic and procedural purposes is supported by current evidence. As the use of this method grows, formal training criteria specific to neonatology, as well as evidence-based standards to standardize use across centers, are urgently needed. Evidence-based guidelines for the use of POCUS in critically ill neonates and children are now available. They will be useful to optimize the use of POCUS, training programs, and further research, which are urgently needed given the weak quality of evidence available.
