Probes, pig hearts, and PowerPoint, oh my!
Department of Anesthesiology fellows are spending two weeks immersed in all things perioperative echocardiography as part of the Echo Boot Camp on Aug. 12-23.
“Boot camp is a unique opportunity for our adult cardiothoracic and critical care fellows to obtain an intense and interactive education in both transthoracic (TTE) and transesophageal (TEE) echocardiography,” said Cardiothoracic Division Chief, Tara Brakke, M.D. “The boot camp establishes a robust foundation of knowledge that our trainees build upon throughout their training.”
Each day during boot camp, faculty expert in echocardiography present topics to fellows via lecture, followed by hands-on demonstration and practice in UNMC’s state-of-the-art simulation center. Fellows also review TTE and TEE echocardiography studies and practice making diagnostic assessments.
As a unique opportunity this year, fellows participated in a day-long porcine heart dissection. This exercise helped to review cardiac anatomy and how that correlates to both two-dimensional echocardiography planes and 3D associations.
View photos from Echo Boot Camp.
Boot camp topics included:
- Introduction to transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography
- Contractile and diastolic functions
- Knobology and transducers
- Physics of ultrasound and principals of doppler
- Valve stenosis and regurgitation
- Evaluation of prosthetic valves
- Basic and Advanced hemodynamics
- Masses and endocarditis
- Congenital heart disease
- Cardiomyopathies
- Fluid Management
- Right heart function
- Advanced Mitral Valve Assessment
- Surgical Guidelines