The North East Thames
5th Emergency and Critical Care ECHO Course

 For specialists in Acute Medicine, Emergency Medicine, Critical Care and Anaesthesia
organised by Barts and The London NHS Trust in partnership with Infomed Research and Training,
on Wednesday 8 December 2010 at Conference Centre, Russell Square House, London

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 Chris Critoph, SpR Cardiologist, Heart Hospital, London

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

Dr Valentina Puntmann, Hon Clinical Research Fellow, Imperial College, London

Dr Nicola Jones, SpR in Cardiology, Royal Brompton Hospital

Dr Stefanie Robert, Consultant, Royal London Hospital

About the 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.

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

Getting to London:
 

By Train:

To check trains and times please use the London Midland form
on the right. This can advise you for any return journey in the UK.



By Air:

The best airport to use for this venue is Heathrow. From the airport simply
head for the London Underground and take the Piccadilly line eastbound to
Russell Square station. The journey is between 45 and 60 minutes.
The venue is then just a few minutes walk (turn left out of the station).



By Car:

Secure parking is available at an NCP a few minutes walk away.
Parking for the day is between £12 and £15 a day.

Getting around London
 

By Tube:	By Bus:

More travel options:

If you require further information please call us: +44 (0)20 8123 0021 or email us