BackgroundTransesophageal echocardiography (TEE) offers several advantages over transthoracic echocardiography (TTE). Despite these advantages, use of TEE by emergency physicians (EPs) remains rare, as no focused TEE protocol for emergency department (ED) use has been defined nor have methods of training been described.ObjectiveThis study aims to develop a focused TEE examination tailored for the ED and to evaluate TEE skill acquisition and retention by TEE-naïve EPs following a focused 4-h curriculum.MethodsAcademic EPs were invited to participate in a 4-h didactic and simulation-based workshop. The seminar emphasized TEE principles and views obtained from four vantage points. Following the training, participants engaged in an assessment of their abilities to carry out a focused TEE on a high-fidelity simulator. A 6-week follow-up session assessed skill retention.ResultsFourteen EPs participated in this study. Immediately following the seminar, 14 (100 %; k = 1.0) and 10 (71.4 %, k = 0.65) successfully obtained an acceptable mid-esophageal four-chamber and mid-esophageal long-axis view. Eleven (78.6 %, k = 1.0) participants were able to successfully obtain an acceptable transgastric short-axis view, and 11 (78.6 %, k = 1.0) EPs successfully obtained a bicaval view. Twelve participants engaged in a 6-week retention assessment, which revealed acceptable images and inter-rater agreement as follows: mid-esophageal four-chamber, 12 (100 %; k = 0.92); mid-esophageal long axis, 12 (100 %, k = 0.67); transgastric short-axis, 11 (91.7 %, k = 1.0); and bicaval view, 11 (91.7 %, k = 1.0).ConclusionThis study has illustrated that EPs can successfully perform this focused TEE protocol after a 4-h workshop with retention of these skills at 6 weeks.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13089-015-0027-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) uses ultrasound at the bedside to aid decision-making in acute clinical scenarios. The increased use of ultrasound for regional anesthesia and vascular cannulation, together with more anesthesiologists trained in transesophageal echocardiography have contributed to the widespread use of POCUS in perioperative care. Despite the support of

When used as a sole modality, objective performance parameters of the esophageal-cooling device were found to be comparable to standard temperature control methods. More research is required to further quantify efficacy, safety, assess utility in other patient populations, and examine patient outcomes with device use in comparison to standard temperature control modalities.

BackgroundMild hypothermia and fever control have been shown to improve neurological outcomes post cardiac arrest. Common methods to induce hypothermia include body surface cooling and intravascular cooling; however, a new approach using an esophageal cooling catheter has recently become available.MethodsWe report the first three cases of temperature control using an esophageal cooling device (ECD). The ECD was placed in a similar fashion to orogastric tubes. Temperature reduction was achieved by connecting the ECD to a commercially available external heat exchange unit (Blanketrol Hyperthermia – Hypothermia System).ResultsThe first patient, a 54 year-old woman (86 kg) was admitted after resuscitation from an out-of-hospital non-shockable cardiac arrest. Shortly after admission, she mounted a fever peaking at 38.3 °C despite administration of cold intravenous saline and application of cooling blankets. ECD utilization resulted in a temperature reduction to 35.7 °C over a period of 4 h. She subsequently recovered and was discharged home at day 23. The second patient, a 59 year-old man (73 kg), was admitted after successful resuscitation from a protracted out-of hospital cardiac arrest. His initial temperature was 35 °C, but slowly increased to 35.8 °C despite applying a cooling blanket and ice packs. The ECD was inserted and a temperature reduction to 34.8 °C was achieved within 3 h. The patient expired on day 3. The third patient, a 47 year-old man (95 kg) presented with a refractory fever secondary to necrotizing pneumonia in the postoperative period after coronary artery bypass grafting. His fever persisted despite empiric antibiotics, antipyretics, cooling blankets, and ice packs. ECD insertion resulted in a decrease in temperature from 39.5 to 36.5 °C in less than 5 h. He eventually made a favorable recovery and was discharged home after 59 days. In all 3 patients, device placement occurred in under 3 min and ease-of-use was reported as excellent by nursing staff and physicians.ConclusionsThe esophageal cooling device was found to be an effective temperature control modality in this small case series of critically ill patients. Preliminary data presented in this report needs to be confirmed in large randomized controlled trials comparing its efficacy and safety to standard temperature control modalities.