The MSE was founded in 1981 as an organization of physicians and sonographers involved in the art and science of cardiac ultrasound. At regular meetings, nationally recognized guest speakers present new information and techniques. Opportunity is also provided to members for sharing challenging or unusual studies for expert panel review. An annual popular weekend meeting provides an atmosphere of fun and valuable educational experience for members at all levels of experience.
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Please read the ASE Statement on Protection of Patients and Echocardiography Service Providers During the 2019 Novel Coronavirus Outbreak. The link to the document is below.
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Dear echo colleagues,
I hope each of you are doing okay and staying safe during this unprecedented crisis. My thoughts are with each of you and your communities that you serve.
I know all of you have developed processes to safely scan patients with known or suspected COVID-19. I thought I would share something that we have started doing to try to additionally reduce sonographer risk, in case any of you find it useful. I have also shared this with the ASE forum:
We have started using an additional barrier technique in COVID-19 patients that was adapted from something I saw posted on a Mayo clinic slide a few days ago describing a technique used in Australia by Dr. Stuart Moir and Michelle Anderson. We are using a clear plastic drape (the initial ones that we have used are C-arm covers from the cath lab, but we are also looking into nonsterile alternatives). We connect it to two IV poles set up parallel to the bed using two Z clips obtained from the OR. This sets up a hanging clear plastic drape between the patient and the sonographer/machine, which they reach under to scan. (The sonographer would still have full PPE). I thought I would post our attached video of how we do it, as well as the one page document describing it, in case anyone else also finds it useful to potentially decrease sonographer exposure. This technique could also potentially be applied to other procedures, such as device interrogations, etc.
Best wishes,
Ted
Ted Kolias, MD
Professor of Medicine
Director of Adult Echocardiography
University of Michigan
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