Head to toe ultrasound: Current opinion on its role in hemodynamic instability, hypoxemia, oligoanuria and the patient with altered neurological status

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IntroductionBedside ultrasound is now more commonly used in anesthesiology and critical care. There are numerous applications beyond its role in regional anesthesia and vascular access. ObjectiveTo describe how bedside ultrasound can be integrated to current clinical management is dealing with hemodynamically unstable, hypoxemic, oligoanuric patient and in the patient with altered neurological status. Material and methodsEssay article describing a synthesis of the current literature, expert opinion, current practice and recent clinical trials in the development of proposed algorithm dealing with the use of bedside ultrasound in the management hemodynamic instability and hypoxemia. ResultsThree algorithms currently used in the hemodynamically unstable and the hypoxemic patient and the patient are described. In addition, a simple bedside ultrasound approach to oligoanuria and altered neurological status is proposed. ConclusionFurther studies incorporating head-to-toe bedside ultrasound by trained clinicians will need to be validated but are likely to demonstrate the significant advantages of incorporating bedside ultrasound in the practice of anesthesiology and critical care.