# Role of Point-of-Care Ultrasound in Inpatient Perioperative Medical Management: A Systematic Review

## TL;DR

This paper reviews how point-of-care ultrasound is used in hospital settings during the perioperative period, finding it helpful but noting a lack of strong evidence for improved outcomes.

## Contribution

The study systematically reviews POCUS applications in inpatient perioperative care, highlighting gaps in evidence and provider-specific use.

## Key findings

- POCUS is commonly used for cardiac, volume, pulmonary, and gastric assessments in perioperative care.
- It can expedite cardiac exams and diagnose postoperative pulmonary issues promptly.
- Few studies have evaluated POCUS outcomes by acute care providers, indicating a need for more research.

## Abstract

Background: Point-of-care ultrasonography (POCUS) is becoming an increasingly relevant tool in hospital medicine, but its effective application in inpatient perioperative medicine remains to be determined. Much of the POCUS literature describes its use by anesthesiologists to evaluate cardiac function, volume status, pulmonary findings, and gastric volume. Objective: To identify, evaluate, and synthesize all available literature investigating the use of point-of-care ultrasound and associated clinical outcomes in inpatient perioperative medical management. Patients and Methods: A systematic review was designed using the PRISMA guidelines with sources of literature including Ovid, PubMed, Scopus, and the Web of Science. Literature search was conducted for published works between 1 January 2002 to 8 February 2024. Results: Three hundred sixty-seven abstracts were identified in our search, and, ultimately, 24 studies were included in this review. Most studies were done by anesthesiology evaluating cardiopulmonary and gastric POCUS. Studies supported using POCUS to expedite cardiac examination, promptly diagnose postoperative pulmonary complications, and optimize surgical timing. Conclusions: POCUS is a versatile tool in the perioperative setting; however, few studies were powered to assess clinical outcomes, and even fewer showed conclusive evidence of improved clinical outcomes. Furthermore, only two studies evaluated the use of POCUS specifically by acute care providers; more extensive studies are needed from their perspective as they take on increasing perioperative responsibilities.