Title: POCUS in the Critically Ill Pregnant Patient<br/>Author: Mike Winters<br/><a href='http://umem.org/profiles/faculty/141/'>[Click to email author]</a><hr/><p>
<strong><u>POCUS in the Critically Ill Pregnant Patient</u></strong></p>
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POCUS can be a valuable tool in the assessment and management of critically ill pregnant patients.</li>
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Conditions to consider in the critically ill pregnant patient who presents with acute RUQ pain include acute fatty liver of pregnancy (AFLP), liver infarction, liver hematoma, and Budd-Chiari Syndrome.</li>
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POCUS findings for these conditions include:
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AFLP: a "bright" liver</li>
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Infarction: a wedge-shaped hypoechoic area (late finding)</li>
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Hematoma: a heterogeneous fluid collection below the capsule or intraparenchymal</li>
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Budd-Chiari Syndrome: lack of blood flow or thrombus in a hepatic vein or within the IVC.</li>
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<fieldset><legend>References</legend>
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Blanco P, Abdo-Cuza A. Point-of-care ultrasound in the critically ill pregnant or postpartum patient: what every intensivist should know. <em>Intensive Care Med</em>. 2019; epub ahead of print.</p>
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