IVC variation

IVC (Inferior Vena Cava) variation in Critical Care ultrasound assesses a patient’s fluid status and volume responsiveness. This dynamic measurement involves observing changes in the IVC diameter during the respiratory cycle, indicating how well a patient might respond to fluid administration. It’s a key hemodynamic parameter, especially in hypotensive or septic shock patients.

Understanding IVC variation is vital for guiding fluid resuscitation, preventing fluid overload, and optimizing patient management in critical care settings. It provides immediate, non-invasive insights for clinicians.

Clinical Author

Bruno Vargas is originally from Mexico City. He first trained as an Emergency Medical Technician at la Universidad Panamericana (UP) before starting medical school at la Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) in Mexico City. Later he did his social service year in the Sierra Madre of Chiapas with Partners in Health Mexico/Compañeros en Salud (CES) in 2019, where he was trained in Global Health, social medicine, and introduced to Point of Care Ultrasound (POCUS). At that moment while working in a resource-limited setting he became passionate about POCUS. He graduated as a general practitioner, and afterward stayed with CES during the pandemic as part of the COVID-19 task force, training community healthcare workers and “pasantes” (first-year doctors doing their year of social service). He finished the Ultrasound Leadership Academy (ULA) fellowship and has started a POCUS training program at his site with midwives, nurses, doctors, and trainees from these areas. He is currently doing a Global Health Fellowship with HEAL as a site fellow in Chiapas with CES. He has committed to a lifelong career in global health providing healthcare access to the most marginalized communities. He has a profound respect and admiration for nature and loves any kind of outdoor activities, especially bicycling, high mountain, and scuba-diving.

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