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Editorial
. 2025 Nov;51(11):2131-2134.
doi: 10.1007/s00134-025-08088-5. Epub 2025 Aug 25.

How we use ultrasound to support clinical decisions on fluid administration in critical ill patients

Oliver Hunsicker  1 , Filippo Sanfilippo  2 , Pieter R Tuinman  3   4   5
Affiliations
Editorial

How we use ultrasound to support clinical decisions on fluid administration in critical ill patients

Oliver Hunsicker et al. Intensive Care Med. 2025 Nov.
No abstract available

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Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Conflicts of interest: The authors have no conflict of interest.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
A holistic step-by-step approach to the use of critical care ultrasound (CCUS) to support clinical decisions regarding fluid administration is provided. Intravenous fluids should only be considered as a therapeutic option when signs of tissue hypoperfusion are present. CCUS is used to answer clinical questions (speech bubbles). If overt hypovolemia is not present, clinical questions on risk assessment (red speech bubbles) and potential benefit of fluids (green speech bubble) are answered. Thereafter, potential risks need to be weighed against potential benefits to support clinical decision-making regarding fluids in critically ill patients at the bedside. *Notably, at least three LVOT-VTI measurements should be averaged before and after functional tests such a PLR to ensure sufficient precision [15]. In the absence of an adequate apical window, a VTI gathered from the RV outflow tract (RVOT-VTI) in modified parasternal short-axis view (or eventually in modified subcostal view) may be an alternative to assess the expected efficacy of the fluid bolus in terms of SV increase. IVC, inferior vena cava; LV, left ventricle; LVOT, left ventricular outflow tract; RV, right ventricle; VTI, velocity–time integral. Created in BioRender. Hunsicker, O. (2025) https://BioRender.com/fefe5x7
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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