Echocardiography in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

The role of echocardiocraphy (ECHO) in the Neonatal Intenssive Care Unit (NICU) has changed over the last two decades. Previously, nearly all ECHO exams in NICU were performed by pediatric cardiologists to diagnose or monitor congenital heart disease (CHD) and to screen for patent ductus arteriosus (PDA).
More recently, neonatologists have become interested in the echocardiographic assessment of critically ill neonates at bedside which are at a much higher risk for having underlying CHD.
Initial ECHO examination should always be a comprehensive study of both anatomy and function. First with segmenta approach CHD has been excluded and subsequent exam can focus on hemodynamic or functional assessment.
ECHO as bedside tool is able to provide crucial information and accurate decision that was not apparent on clinical assessment and may have a significant impact on improving management of patients in NICU. It is useful for real-time assessment and monitoring of therapeutic and procedural interventions.
The primary barrier to future universal adoption of this operator dependent “stethoscope of the future” is the lack of widespread, efficient, and affordable training solution. Appropriate training in echocardiography should be incorporated into the neonatal intensive care curriculum.

Author(s): Brankica Vasiljevic

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