Point-of-care ultrasound in neonatal anaesthesia – current applications and future practice

Abstract

Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is a widely accepted and used modality across many fields of medicine, particularly in anaesthesia. Ultrasound devices with improved image quality and mobility as well as reduced cost and size have made POCUS widely available, even in resource-poor settings. Many adult protocols have been adapted for neonatal use, as ultrasound is easily able to visualise neonatal organs and vessels. Functional or focused echocardiography is routinely performed in many institutions, with many bedside applications including central line placement, peripheral and arterial line placement, lung ultrasound and endotracheal tube localisation.