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Role of Lung Ultrasound and Echocardiography in Acute Respiratory Failure, Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome, and Weaning in Mechanically Ventilated Patients

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Basic Ultrasound Skills “Head to Toe” for General Intensivists

Part of the book series: Lessons from the ICU ((LEICU))

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Abstract

A correct understanding of heart-lung interactions in the patient with acute respiratory failure undergoing mechanical ventilation is pivotal. This understanding can be facilitated by critical care ultrasound. Integrating sonographic findings with clinical and laboratory information facilitates immediate management and therapeutic decisions. Specific lung ultrasound findings now help to narrow down the differential diagnosis and guide interventions in the ventilated patient. Critical care echocardiography allows to infer the presence, severity, and nature of a cardiogenic component to the acute respiratory failure. Diaphragmatic ultrasound becomes especially important in the decision-making process during the weaning from mechanical ventilation.

This chapter aims to avoid a silo mentality, emphasizing the advantages and the complexity of combining the use of lung, cardiac, and diaphragmatic ultrasound in extending the physical examination of the ventilated patient. We also seek to flag pitfalls of this operator-dependent technique, advocating for a correct integration with other imaging modalities.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Mahidol Oxford Research Unit (MORU), Bangkok, Thailand

    Luigi Pisani

  2. Department of Intensive Care, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Marry R. Smit & Pieter R. Tuinman

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  1. Luigi Pisani
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  2. Marry R. Smit
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  3. Pieter R. Tuinman
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Correspondence to Pieter R. Tuinman .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Anesthesia and Intensive Care, Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genova, Italy

    Chiara Robba

  2. Department of Biomedical Sciences, IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Rozzano, Milano, Italy

    Antonio Messina

  3. Department of Critical Care, King’s College Hospital, London, UK

    Adrian Wong

  4. Intensive Care Medicine Unit, Hôpital Ambroise-Paré, Boulogne-Billancourt, France

    Antoine Vieillard-Baron

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Pisani, L., Smit, M.R., Tuinman, P.R. (2023). Role of Lung Ultrasound and Echocardiography in Acute Respiratory Failure, Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome, and Weaning in Mechanically Ventilated Patients. In: Robba, C., Messina, A., Wong, A., Vieillard-Baron, A. (eds) Basic Ultrasound Skills “Head to Toe” for General Intensivists. Lessons from the ICU. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-32462-8_24

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-32462-8_24

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