Basic Ultrasound Skills Head to Toe for General Intensivists (Lessons from the ICU)

The aim of this book, part of the European Society of Intensive Care Medicine (ESICM) textbook series, is to educate and train practitioners in the safe and competent use of diagnostic ultrasound imaging in the visualization and interpretation of different conditions. Specifically, the program will train practitioners in the safe and accurate acquisition of ultrasound images in the examination and monitoring of patients in intensive care settings.

The readers will be able to obtain knowledge on the use of ultrasound in a safe and effective manner and to learn how ultrasound examination can be used to optimize clinical management of patients.

The chapters include ultrasound physics, ultrasound examination technique, optimization of the image, bedside ultrasound diagnosis of different diseases. Different domains will be addressed from the evaluation of different organs such as the heart, the lung, the abdomen, vessels and brain, focusing on the basic skills required to an intensivists working in the general Intensive Care Unit settings.

The book - richly illustrated and with electronic supplementary contributions - is intended for anaesthetists and intensivists with basic knowledge of ultrasound physics and practical experience of ultrasound.

Chiara Robba is a Consultant and Associate Professor in Anesthesia and Intensive Care at Policlinico San Martino Hospital, Genova Italy. She obtained her PhD in 2017 on Brain Ultrasonography, with a thesis on non-invasive estimation of intracranial pressure using Ultrasound. Her research interests are neurointensive Care, Mechanical Ventilation and Head to toe Ultrasonography. She is author of more than 300 peer reviewed papers and she is the chair of the ESICM guidelines for the use of Ultrasound in the Intensive Care Unit settings. Currently she is the Chair of the Neurointensive Care section of the ESICM.

Antonio Messina is a Senior Consultant in the ICU of the Humanitas Research Hospital and an Assistant Professor of cardiovascular physiology in Hunimed University. He obtained his PhD in 2015 on hemodynamics of critically ill patients, with a thesis on heart-lung interactions in patients with spontaneous breathing activity. His research interests are fluid dynamic, functional hemodynamic tests, heart lung interaction and Head to toe Ultrasonography. He is author of more than 60 peer reviewed papers and he is a co-author of the ESICM guidelines for the use of Ultrasound in the Intensive Care Unit settings. Currently he is an active member of cardiovascular dynamic section, and one of the experts of the Haemodynamic Monitoring Masterclass of the ESICM.

Adrian Wong has been a consultant in Anaesthesia & Intensive Care since 2015 and is a currently a consultant at King’s College Hospital, London. Within the field of ultrasound, he has interested in training/accreditation, measurements of organ perfusion and right heart imaging. His other research interest includes clinical governance and safety, medical education and burnout/well-being amongst medical professionals. He sits on the ESICM Executive Committee and an examiner for the European Diploma of Intensive Care Medicine. He is pursuing a PhD in King’s College London.

Antoine Vieillard-Baron is professor of Intensive Care Medicine. He is the head of the Intensive Care Unit of the university hospital Ambroise Paré, in the APHP group since around 14 years. His university expertise regards heart-lung interactions, ARDS, RV function and non-invasive hemodynamic monitoring. With others, he developed the concept of critical care echocardiography and created EDEC which is the European Diploma in critical care echocardiography. Prof. Vieillard-Baron is also the general secretary of ESICM.