Lung Ultrasound in Critically Ill Obstetrics and Gynecological Patients

Hormonal changes in a woman's menstrual cycle and changes during pregnancy affect the respiratory system. These changes especially during pregnancy and peripartum complicate the critical care management of the female patients. In addition to the effect of different pregnancy-related as sepsis, and preeclampsia which directly or indirectly predispose to pulmonary complications.

The presence of difficulty in the transfer of critically ill patients mandates point of care modality. Avoidance of fetal exposure to hazardous radiation demands safe technology. Ultrasound arises as a screening method that can be performed rapidly and enables healthcare providers to make timely decisions with no radiation exposure. Thus it facilitates the management of critically ill obstetric and gynecological patients.

When compared to other imaging techniques; X-ray imaging is preferably restricted in parturient because of the ionizing risk on the fetus, and CT is not feasible in critically ill if there is a risk of transfer. Thus ultrasound emerged as a bedside imaging technique.

Yet, the prevalence of the specific ultrasound signatures in that population is not clearly defined and its relation to poor outcome was not tested, This trial is the first trial to determine frequency, timing concerning admission, type of pulmonary abnormalities detectable by LUS, and their associations with poor outcome in patients whether obstetrics or gynecology admitted to the ICU specialized in women's intensive care

Inclusion criteria

• Any patient admitted to the obstetrics and gynecology intensive care unit

Exclusion criteria

• Patient's refusal
• inability to do a lung ultrasound examination during the first 24 hours of admission