Felix Balzer1, Ralf F Trauzeddel1, Martin Ertmer1, Joachim Erb2, Matthias Heringlake3, Heinrich V Groesdonk4, Matthias Goepfert5, Daniel A Reuter6, Michael Sander7, Sascha Treskatsch8. 1. Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Campus Charité Mitte and Campus Virchow-Klinikum Charité, University Medicine Berlin, Berlin, Germany. 2. Department of Anesthesia, Surgical Intensive Care, Prehospital Emergency Medicine and Pain Therapy, University Hospital of Basel, Basel, Switzerland. 3. Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, University Hospital of Schleswig-Holstein, Lübeck, Germany. 4. Department of Anesthesiology, Intensive Care Medicine and Pain Therapy, Faculty of Medicine, Saarland University Medical Center, Saarland University, Homburg, Germany. 5. Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Klinikum Passau, Passau, Germany. 6. Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, University Medical Center Rostock, Rostock, Germany. 7. Department of Anesthesiology, Intensive Care Medicine and Pain Therapy, University Hospital of Giessen, Gießen, Germany. 8. Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Campus Charité Mitte and Campus Virchow-Klinikum Charité, University Medicine Berlin, Berlin, Germany - sascha.treskatsch@charite.de.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: In patients with hemodynamic instability echocardiography has been recommended as the preferred modality to evaluate the underlying pathophysiology. However, due to the fact that recent scientific data on the utilization of echocardiography in German Intensive Care Units (ICU) are scarce, we sought to investigate current practice. METHODS: A structured, web-based, anonymized survey was performed from May until July 2015 among members of the German Interdisciplinary Association of Critical Care and Emergency Medicine (DIVI) consisting of 14 questions. Descriptive data analysis was performed. RESULTS: One hundred four intensivists participated in the survey. Two-thirds of participants (66%) used echocardiography regularly for hemodynamic monitoring and stated that it changed the therapy in 26-50% of the cases irrespective of the time performed after ordering the examination. Transthoracic (TTE) were more frequently used than transesophageal (TEE) examinations. Twenty-six percent of the participants held an echocardiography certificate with a formal examination, 27% completed a structured training without an examination and almost half of the questioned ICU personnel (47%) did not complete a comprehensive training. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this survey demonstrate a widespread utilization of echocardiography as part of routine diagnostic on frequent number of operative ICUs. However, there might be a lack of structured echocardiographic training especially for anesthesiologists.
BACKGROUND: In patients with hemodynamic instability echocardiography has been recommended as the preferred modality to evaluate the underlying pathophysiology. However, due to the fact that recent scientific data on the utilization of echocardiography in German Intensive Care Units (ICU) are scarce, we sought to investigate current practice. METHODS: A structured, web-based, anonymized survey was performed from May until July 2015 among members of the German Interdisciplinary Association of Critical Care and Emergency Medicine (DIVI) consisting of 14 questions. Descriptive data analysis was performed. RESULTS: One hundred four intensivists participated in the survey. Two-thirds of participants (66%) used echocardiography regularly for hemodynamic monitoring and stated that it changed the therapy in 26-50% of the cases irrespective of the time performed after ordering the examination. Transthoracic (TTE) were more frequently used than transesophageal (TEE) examinations. Twenty-six percent of the participants held an echocardiography certificate with a formal examination, 27% completed a structured training without an examination and almost half of the questioned ICU personnel (47%) did not complete a comprehensive training. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this survey demonstrate a widespread utilization of echocardiography as part of routine diagnostic on frequent number of operative ICUs. However, there might be a lack of structured echocardiographic training especially for anesthesiologists.
Authors: R F Trauzeddel; M Nordine; H V Groesdonk; G Michels; R Pfister; D A Reuter; T W L Scheeren; C Berger; S Treskatsch Journal: Anaesthesist Date: 2021-03-03 Impact factor: 1.041
Authors: R F Trauzeddel; M Ertmer; M Nordine; H V Groesdonk; G Michels; R Pfister; D Reuter; T W L Scheeren; C Berger; S Treskatsch Journal: J Clin Monit Comput Date: 2020-05-26 Impact factor: 2.502