Point-of-care ultrasound is a hit at King's College

Ultrasound technology is helping the paediatric intensive care unit (PICU) at King's College Hospital to rapidly obtain vascular access in critically ill patients. Dr Akash Deep, Director of PICU, explains: "The unit treats patients ranging in age from just a few days old to 18 years. In many of these patients, for example a child in septic shock, vascular access must be obtained without delay, and we rely on ultrasound for this procedure. Until recently, this was performed using a hand- held system that was quite old, and we could not always obtain the image quality we needed."

"Our theatres are equipped with point-of- care ultrasound systems from Fujifilm Sonosite. We used one of these for a PICU patient where vascular access was proving particularly difficult, and were amazed by the difference it made; within minutes, an arterial line was in place. I am convinced this contributed to better management of the patient's septic shock by helping us to rationalise inotropes and vasopressors. This played a large part in our decision to obtain a system specifically for PICU. We've had it for a few months now, and I see the satisfaction on the registrars' faces when they use it."