Abstract：
Echocardiography and Ultrasound in ECLS
Extracorporeal life support (ECLS) has become a mainstay of practice in severe respiratory, circulatory or cardiac failure refractory to conventional management. The inherent complexity of different ECLS modes and their influence on the native pulmonary and cardiovascular system require patient-specific tailoring to optimize outcome. Echocardiography and ultrasound play key roles throughout the ECLS care including patient and modality selection, adequate placement of cannulas, monitoring, weaning and follow-up after decannulation. For this purpose, echocardiographers require specific ECLS-related knowledge and skills. The chest ultrasound has been established as an exquisite bedside imaging tool to assess and diagnose a myriad of lung pathologies, assess the pleural space, lung parenchyma, diaphragm and ultimately gauge therapeutic interventions. Vital information can be attained on the urgent patient management when chest ultrasound is combined with abdominal and whole trunk ultrasonography in the form of focused assessment known from trauma patients (FAST). The expansion of ultrasound methods in the intensive care setting may influence the impact of radiographic imaging. Increased use of echocardiography, chest, and point-of-care ultrasound, including FAST, may reduce the need for radiographic methods in the critically ill with high illness severity, and also influence their possible relationship to patient´s outcome.