Programme Director:

Dr Tim Harris BM BS BMed Sci Dip O&G Dip Imme Care FACEM FFAEM
Consultant Emergency Physician, Royal London Hospital

The Faculty includes:
 

Dr Pat O’Callahan, Consultant Cardiologist, Barts and The London NHS Trust

Dr Ceri Davies, Consultant Cardiologist, Barts and The London NHS Trust

Dr Ahmed Salih, Consultant Cardiologist, Good Hope Hospital, Sutton Coldfield

Dr Anjana Siva, Consultant Cardiologist, Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust

Dr Chris Critoph, SpR Cardiologist, Royal London Hospital

Dr Mo Thavasothy, Consultant in Intensive Care Medicine, Royal London Hospital

About this Course

• For doctors with US basic knowledge and some practical experience

• Using ECHO in the assessment of the acutely unwell patient:

  • learn how to use cardiac ultrasound to perform a limited ECHO and provide reliable information in specific areas including left ventricular function, identifying pericardial effusions/tamponade, identifying valvular dysfunction and assessing right ventricular pressure overload

• Using limited ECHO as a useful adjuvant in rapidly assessing patients in cardiac arrest

• Practical sessions:

  • Obtaining the basic cardiac windows and identifying normal structures

  • Assessing LV function

  • Assessing Valvular Function

  • RV Pressure Overload

This one day course is aimed at all doctors who are involved in the assessment of acutely unwell patients and as such is aimed at trainees/specialists in Critical Care, Anaesthesia, Acute Medicine and Emergency Medicine. Echocardiography is a valuable investigation in acutely unwell patients providing information on the structural integrity and performance of the heart. It takes many years to develop a full skill set and provide comprehensive diagnostic information. However, there is good evidence that a short period of training allows the non cardiologist to use cardiac ultrasound to perform a limited ECHO and provide reliable information in specific areas including left ventricular function, identifying pericardial effusions/tamponade, identifying valvular dysfunction and assessing right ventricular pressure overload (massive and submassive pulmonary embolism) (Jackson 2000, Mandavia 2001, Moore 2002, Ranazzo 2003). Clinical evaluation of the prevailing haemodynamic process in shocked patients has been shown to be unreliable (Boldt 1994) and may be supplemented by ECHO (Randazzo 2003). Limited ECHO has also been shown to be a useful adjuvant in rapidly assessing patients in cardiac arrest providing information on the aetiology and prognosis.

Full Course programme
and booking form ▼

This course concentrates on providing non cardiologists with basic skills to assist in the assessment and resuscitation of acutely unwell patients. It is best suited to those who have some basic knowledge of ultrasound techniques. All candidates should read through the lecture and try to visit their echocardiography (or ultrasound) departments prior to the course to maximise learning.

The objectives of the day are for the candidates to be able to perform the following:

• Basic ECHO windows – subcostal, PSSA, PSLA, apical 4 chamber

• Assess LV function and grading the performance as hyperdynamic, normal, moderately impairmed or severely impaired; measure wall thickness and chamber size

• Identify pericardial and pleural effusions

• Observe aortic and mitral valve motion and identify gross stenosis (no grading) and use Doppler to identify significant regurgitation (not quantify)

• Gross assessment of RV pressure – volume overload – RV:LV ratio > 1 (apical view), IVC plethora (>22mm, respiratory variation) and RV wall thickness

Course equipment and technical support kindly provided without restrictions by
 

If you require further information please call us: +44 (0)20 8228 1295 or email us