Abstract

PAREDES, Carlos M; DURAN C, Jorge  and  MERCADO V, Jorge M. Ultrasound in the initial assessment of acute respiratory failure. Rev. méd. (Cochabamba) [online]. 2016, vol.23, n.1, pp. 08-13. ISSN 2074-4609.

Traditionally, the diagnostic image approach of the chest in critically ill patients with acute respiratory failure has been based on the A-P radiographs. However, this presents major problems in the diagnostic accuracy of pleuro-pulmonary disease. The introduction of CT scan largely solved this problem, but with the disadvantage of radiation doses and unavoidable transfer outside the intensive care unit or instability of the patient in the emergency room. In this context, the lung ultrasound, thanks to its portability and low cost, becomes an alternative technique of initial evaluation in lung pathology, with the advantage be performed at the bedside, easily reproducible and not administering ionizing radiation. This paper aims to evaluate the role of lung ultrasound in the diagnostic evaluation of acute respiratory failure; we performed an observational study compared it use with chest radiography. Results show greater sensitivity and specificity for ultrasound. We conclude that lung ultrasound is a valuable method to use and evaluate acute respiratory failure, both in the intensive care unit and emergeney department; it is also useful in the hemodynamic monitoring and follows up of critically ill patients.

Keywords : Pulmonary ultrasound; intensive care unit; interstitial syndrome; lung; diagnostic ultrasound; pneumothorax; pneumonía; pulmonary edema; respiratory failure.