WINFOCUS WORLD 2010 - 6th World Congress on Ultrasound in Emergency & Critical Care Medicine

`Point-of-care ultrasound`, available in any kind of critical setting, was viewed as a technical impossibility until a decade ago. However, through the work of multiple dedicated researchers and authors around the world, it is now one of the fastest spreading imaging applications in a variety of clinical specialties including critical care, surgery, emergency medicine, anesthesiology, general internal medicine, pediatrics and others. 

The novel concept of point-of-care `Ultrasound Resuscitation` has recently evolved with the availability of high quality portable ultrasound devices, in combination with an increasing number of clinicians who have developed point-of-care ultrasound skills to help manage patients in `critical` situations.  Clinical scenarios turn into ‘critical’ ones when there is a performance gap between the patient needs and the resources available for decision making and problem solving (Crisis Resource Management). This typically occurs in the acutely ill patient (Emergency US/Intensive/ Critical Care US), and/or where human or technical resources are limited (Screening US/Triage US/Remote US/Primary US). 
Point-of-care image acquisition and interpretation, integrated with life support protocols (BLS, ALS/ACLS, ATLS, PHTLS/PTC, PALS, etc.), which follow the ‘ABCDE’ or ‘Head-to-Toes’ evaluation methodology allow for rapid and effective decision making, enhance triage, diagnosis, therapy, monitoring, and patient follow up. 
The `Ultrasound Life Support` concept, qualifying this new approach to resuscitation, represents a new integrated clinical strategy which is promoted world-wide by WINFOCUS with the support of an increasing number of national and International scientific societies and institutions. 

As clinical practice and research grow in the field, there is also an emerging need for `consensus` on its interpretation and performance. In addition, future research and ultrasound equipment development may be improved and made more efficient by the creation of common terminology and protocols as well as development of the most up-to-date standards. That is why, following the successful start up of the International Consensus Conferences on clinical (Pleural & Lung Ultrasound) and procedural applications (US-guided vascular access), Winfocus announced a new series of EBM and consensus-based meetings that over 2010-2012 will cover the overall `ABCDE` and `Head-to-Toes` management of the critical patient. First targeting major focused applications (Focused Echocardiography, Focused Airway Ultrasound, FAST, etc ...), then reviewing and standardizing multifocused approaches as the `FAST ABCDE` in resuscitation or the combined `Lung/Heart/Vein Ultrasound` in dyspnea or shock states.