Bedside clinical ultrasound-based approach to right ventricular failure and hypervolemia

Annual Congress and Medicare Expo on Trauma & Critical Care

March 07-09, 2016 Madrid, Spain

Andre Denault

University de Montreal, Canada

Posters & Accepted Abstracts: J Trauma Treat

Abstract :

Right ventricular (RV) failure is a major cause of mortality in the intensive care unit. It can result from a variety of etiologies one of which is hypervolemia or excessive fluid administration. The diagnosis of RV failure can be made at the bedside using central venous pressure and RV pressure waveform analysis. In addition ultrasound can be used to diagnose not only RV dysfunction but its repercussion on the brain, the lung, the liver and the kidney. New modalities such as brain and somatic oximetry can also be used as monitor of RV failure. In terms of treatment the use of inhaled agents instead of intravenous drugs can be used, but fluid management appears to be one of the most important strategies in managing patients with RV failure.