Revista española de anestesiología y reanimación
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Rev Esp Anestesiol Reanim · Nov 2017
ReviewUltrasound evaluation of diaphragm function and its application in critical patients, mechanical ventilation and brachial plexus block.
Before diaphragm ultrasonography, assessment of diaphragm function was very difficult due to the complex nature of its exploration. The use of this new technique has shed light on diagnostic problems and treatment with an improvement in final outcomes for critically ill patients, in whom the incidence of diaphragm weakness or dysfunction has been underestimated. ⋯ It is also being used as a guide in the process of weaning from mechanical ventilation or as the safest approach for braquial plexus block. In this review we present how to perform a systematic exploration of diaphragm function and its clinical implications.