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. 2018 Nov;19(4):313-318.
doi: 10.1177/1751143718762685. Epub 2018 Mar 8.

Intensive care unit physician-delivered point of care renal tract ultrasound in acute kidney injury is feasible

Prashant Parulekar  1 , Ed Neil-Gallacher  2 , Alex Harrison  2
Affiliations

Intensive care unit physician-delivered point of care renal tract ultrasound in acute kidney injury is feasible

Prashant Parulekar et al. J Intensive Care Soc. 2018 Nov.

Abstract

Acute kidney injury is common in critically ill patients, with ultrasound recommended to exclude renal tract obstruction. Intensive care unit clinicians are skilled in acquiring and interpreting ultrasound examinations. Intensive Care Medicine Trainees wish to learn renal tract ultrasound. We sought to demonstrate that intensive care unit clinicians can competently perform renal tract ultrasound on critically ill patients. Thirty patients with acute kidney injury were scanned by two intensive care unit physicians using a standard intensive care unit ultrasound machine. The archived images were reviewed by a Radiologist for adequacy and diagnostic quality. In 28 of 30 patients both kidneys were identified. Adequate archived images of both kidneys each in two planes were possible in 23 of 30 patients. The commonest reason for failure was dressings and drains from abdominal surgery. Only one patient had hydronephrosis. Our results suggest that intensive care unit clinicians can provide focussed renal tract ultrasound. The low incidence of hydronephrosis has implications for delivering the Core Ultrasound in Intensive Care competencies.

Keywords: Critical care; acute kidney injury; hydronephrosis; training; ultrasound.

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Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Data collection document for each scan performed.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Chart showing findings on the 30 patients scanned.
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
Improvement in scan duration over the course of the study (x = scan number; y = scan duration (min)).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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