Point-of-care handheld ophthalmic ultrasound in the diagnosis and evaluation of raised intracranial pressure and Terson syndrome: a description of two cases

Femoral Vein Pulsatility: What Does It Mean?

In this report, the clinical evolution of a 72-year-old patient transferred to the surgical intensive care unit after cardiac surgery is described. The presence of a pulsatile Doppler signal of the common femoral vein was noted after surgery. On postoperative day 5, diuretics in addition to a combination of inhaled epoprostenol and milrinone were associated with normalization of femoral vein pulsatility. The observations seen in peripheral venous flow reinforce the hypothesis that pulsatility of the common femoral vein represents an associated echocardiographic sign of right ventricular dysfunction and may be used to monitor systemic venous congestion. Pulsatility in the venous system may be improved by reducing volume overload and improving right ventricular function.

A proposed lung ultrasound and phenotypic algorithm for the care of COVID-19 patients with acute respiratory failure

Pulmonary complications are the most common clinical manifestations of coronavirus disease (COVID-19). From recent clinical observation, two phenotypes have emerged: a low elastance or L-type and a high elastance or H-type. Clinical presentation, pathophysiology, pulmonary mechanics, radiological and ultrasound findings of these two phenotypes are different. Consequently, the therapeutic approach also varies between the two. We propose a management algorithm that combines the respiratory rate and oxygenation index with bedside lung ultrasound examination and monitoring that could help determine earlier the requirement for intubation and other surveillance of COVID-19 patients with respiratory failure.