Ultrasound in Anaesthesia; the Best Kept Secret

The modern practice of anaesthesia and critical care includes performing a number of invasive procedures. These historically have been performed using surface anatomical landmarks to guide needle placement. As a result of this, both success and complication rates have varied considerably. Although radiologists have for many years used two-dimensional ultrasound to guide needle insertion in practical procedures, anaesthetists have not until recently had the resources or training to use such equipment. Developments in ultrasound technology like the introduction of cheap portable high-resolution ultrasound have changed the way anaesthetists perform clinical assessments and practical procedures in theatres and in the critical care setting. We present an overview of the use of ultrasound in anaesthesia illustrated with simple clinical scenarios that give the reader a feel for the impact that the introduction of ultrasound has had on the daily practice of anaesthesia.