Objectives: We aimed to study the feasibility and reliability of focused ultrasound (US) examinations to quantify pericardial (PE)- and pleural effusion (PLE) by a pocket-size imaging device (PSID) performed by nurses in patients early after cardiac surgery.
Design: After a 3-month training period, with cardiologists as supervisors, two nurses examined 59 patients (20 women) with US using a PSID at a median of 5 days after cardiac surgery. The amount of PE and PLE was classified in four categories by US (both) and chest x-ray (PLE only). Echocardiography, including US of the pleural cavities, by experienced cardiologists was used as reference.
Results: Focused US by the nurses was more sensitive than x-ray to detect PLE. The correlations of the quantification of PE and PLE by the nurses and reference was r (95% confidence interval) 0.76 (0.46-0.89) and 0.81 (0.73-0.89), both p < 0.001. PE and PLE were drained in one and six (eight cavities) patients, all classified as large amount by the nurses.
Conclusions: Cardiac nurses were able to obtain reliable measurements and quantification of both PE and PLE bedside by focused US and outperform the commonly used chest x-ray regarding PLE after cardiac surgery.
Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01847859.
Keywords: PSID; echocardiography; pocket-size; postoperative; training.