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Pre-Course

Critical Care Ultrasound: Life Support and Sepsis

Friday, February 21, 2025
6:00am – 5:30pm Eastern Time
Location: W305
CE: 4

This interactive workshop, designed to train beginners in point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) to manage patients with cardiac arrest and sepsis, focuses on acquisition of a single subcostal cardiac window and limited lung examination. Content includes 100 subcostal pathology clips of patients with septic shock and in-hospital cardiac arrest to demonstrate quick pattern recognition and facilitate interpretation. The subcostal view alone can provide qualitative information on ventricular function, pericardial effusion, and intravascular volume status. In patients with cardiac arrest, the subcostal view is least likely to interfere with chest compressions. During cardiac arrest secondary to pulseless electrical activity (PEA), the subcostal view can be used to assess the presence of cardiac muscle activity (pseudo-PEA) and underlying reversible causes of PEA. Safe use of the subcostal view during cardiac arrest requires close interaction among team members. A subcostal window can also be used to rapidly recognize various hemodynamic patterns in patients with septic shock, facilitating critical decision-making. High-fidelity simulation will be used to apply a protocolized approach to managing patients with cardiac arrest during pulse, rhythm, and echocardiography checks.

Share on social using hashtags #SCCM2025 and #SCCMultrasound.

Learning Objectives:

  • Describe the rationale for screening using subcostal views and limited lung views
  • Incorporate critical care ultrasound into the management of patients in cardiac arrest without prolonging no-flow intervals
  • Incorporate qualitative critical care ultrasound into the management of patients with sepsis and septic shock (including COVID-19) based on ultrasound pattern recognition
  • Recognize signs of chronic disease, limitations, and the need for additional ultrasound techniques to support decision-making

Presentations:

  • 6:00am – 7:00am Eastern Time
    Registration and Continental Breakfast
  • 7:00am – 7:10am Eastern Time
    Introduction
  • 7:10am – 7:25am Eastern Time
    Ultrasound Overview: Group Introductions
  • 7:25am – 8:25am Eastern Time
    Image Acquisition Introductions
  • 8:30am – 9:30am Eastern Time
    Interactive Ultrasound Demonstrations: Volume Assessment
  • 9:30am – 9:45am Eastern Time
    Break
  • 9:45am – 10:45am Eastern Time
    Interactive Ultrasound Demonstrations: Left Ventricular Assessment, Right Ventricular Assessment, and Image Acquisition plus Random Cases
  • 10:45am – 11:45am Eastern Time
    Presentations: Ultrasound Use in Advanced Cardiac Life Support and Orientation to Simulation
  • 11:45am – 12:45pm Eastern Time
    Lunch
  • 12:45pm – 1:45pm Eastern Time
    Round 1: High-Fidelity Simulation Code-Plus! And Clinical Cases with Report Generation
  • 1:45pm – 2:45pm Eastern Time
    Round 2: High-Fidelity Simulation Code-Plus! And Clinical Cases with Report Generation
  • 2:45pm – 3:00pm Eastern Time
    Break
  • 3:00pm – 3:30pm Eastern Time
    Ultrasound Support of Resuscitation Sepsis and Septic Shock
  • 3:30pm – 4:30pm Eastern Time
    Round 3: High-Fidelity Simulation Code-Plus! And Clinical Cases with Report Generation
  • 4:30pm – 5:00pm Eastern Time
    Limitations and Pitfalls