Relevance of Thoracic and Muscular Ultrasound in Critical Care Physiotherapy

Ultrasonography has been used for many years by physiotherapists in the English-speaking countries. But its application to intensive care unit physiotherapy is a new trend and is gaining wide acceptance. Thoracic ultrasound allows the physiotherapist to assess the patient with more accuracy, allowing optimization of the treatment choice and monitoring. Muscular ultrasound allows the physiotherapist to make an assessment of intensive care unit-acquired weakness in the patient and follow up on recovery. Qualitative and quantitative muscle evolution may be a useful indicator of the patient's severity status and of treatment efficacy. The use of ultrasonography by the physiotherapists is beneficial and should be supported and developed.