Essential pediatric echocardiography

Abstract

Echocardiography in the pediatric intensive care unit has different applications. Close collaboration between the anesthetist and the pediatric cardiologist is important for acquisition and interpretation of echocardiographic examinations. The recent introduction of functional echocardiography has improved the bedside use of echocardiography to assess myocardial and pulmonary function, the changes in cardiovascular status in response to treatment, and systemic and pulmonary blood flow. Transthoracic echocardiography is the easiest and least invasive way to image cardiac structures; however, transesophageal echocardiography provides images of better quality.