RMH Advanced Critical Care Echocardiography Course (TTE)

About the Course

This addition to the RMH ICU academic calendar is an exciting course aimed at those with a foundation in critical care TTE, who are wishing to take their scanning skills and interpretation to the next level.

This follows on from the RMH/St Vincent's Critical Care TTE Foundation Course, and is presented by faculty from RMH and St Vincent's ICU.

It was presented for the first time in 2024 and met with very positive feedback (see below).

This follows on from the RMH/St Vincent's Critical Care TTE Foundation Course.

This is intended for those who have done at least 50 TTEs, can acquire most images with fluency except in difficult-to-scan patients, can do fundamental measurements of dimensions chamber size (eg LVEDD, LVOT, RV dimensions), regularly use colour flow and PW/CW in their assessment, and wish to build upon their foundation.

Over 2 days, we will run a workshop taught by critical care echo experts, cardiologists and ultrasonographers, that aims to add to your ability to assess more complex pathology and make important diagnoses in the critical care setting.

Content will include:

1. Further integrated asssessment of LV systolic function

2. Anatomical and functional assessment of mitral and aortic valve pathology

3. Diastology and lung scanning in ICU

4. Fluid responsiveness

5. Pericardial disease- restrictive, constrictive disease, and pericardial effusion/tamponade assessment

6. Integrated right ventricular assessment

7. Essentials of congenital heart disease for critical care

8. Newer technologies (eg strain, 3D ) and their applicability to critical care

Components of the course will include short lectures, cased-based discussions, scanning of cardiology outpatients and ICU inpatients (depending on pathology).

The course is limited to 10 participants to ensure the quality of teaching.

FAQs

How good do I need to be at TTE to benefit from this?

You need to be able to do a basic TTE (all parasternal, apical and subcostal views), take measurements of ventricular size (eg LVEDD, RV basal dimension) and wall thickness, and should already use CW/PW regularly in yours scans .

Those who have already completed a foundation degree or course in echo, and/or have completed the ICU 30 casebook scans plus some extra scans, should have an adequate level to benefit from this.

If you are unsure, please contact the organiser.

What's the refund policy in the event of inability to attend or cancellation of the workshop?

- Cancellation by the participant more than 2 months from the workshop will receive a full discount, minus booking fees of approx 10%.

- Cancellation by the participant between 1-2 months from the workshop will receive a 50% refund.

- Cancellation by the participant within 1 month of the workshop will receive a 25% refund.

Cancellation of the event by the organisers will lead to a full refund of all fees.

Will there be other RMH Critical Care TTE Courses in 2025?

We run two Royal Melbourne ICU Critical Care TTE (Foundation) courses a year, and this advanced course once a year.

Similarly, our colleagues at St Vincent's run a very similar foundation course to this in parallel, with the same structure, talks.

If you miss out, please add your name to the waitlist, or follow us on Eventbrite, and we'll let you know about future courses.

Please notify the organiser if you have questions.

How can I contact the organiser with any questions?

Please email james.anstey@mh.org.au

FEEDBACK from inaugural 2024 Course

"Great learning from junior perspective of treatment decision nuances of these complex cases."

"Great opportunity to improve echo interpretation, traps as well as relate this to clinical conundrums. Sufficiently challenging."

"Lecture content was very well pitched. Immediate scanning of volunteers and case discussions after lectures was extremely useful to consolidate learning material."

"Awesome course, very useful in advancing my echo skills to the next level."