Hail, but Not Farewell
James D. Thomas, FASE And so it ends as it began, on a plane. When I wrote my first President’s Page, I was on an Air China flight from Beijing…
Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation: Indications and Contraindications
We thank Dr Firstenberg for his letter regarding indications and contraindications for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) that were discussed in our article “The Role of Echocardiography in the Management of…
The Dominant Vein in the Infraclavicular Fossa Is the Axillary Vein, Not the Subclavian
I would like to discuss a few points raised by Troianos et al. in their recent thoughtful, well-researched report on ultrasound-guided vascular cannulation in JASE . First, on page 1294, Troianos…
Contraindications to Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation: Are There Any Absolutes?
I applaud David Platts and colleagues on their comprehensive, timely, and well-written review outlining the role of echocardiography in the assessment of patients requiring extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). Given that…
Serial Assessment of Right Ventricular Volume and Function in Surgically Palliated Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome Using Real-Time Transthoracic Three-Dimensional Echocardiography
Background Right ventricular (RV) failure is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS), but the longitudinal course of RV volumes through staged…
Authors’ Reply
We appreciate the comments regarding our recently published practice guidelines for ultrasound-guided vascular access. Dr. LeDonne describes the availability of commercial needle guides for the long-axis approach to ultrasound-guided vascular…
Altered Central Aortic Elastic Properties in Kawasaki Disease are Related to Changes in Left Ventricular Geometry and Coronary Artery Aneurysm Formation
Background Recent evidence has suggested that patients display altered arterial elasticity after Kawasaki disease (KD). However, changes in the elastic properties of the central aorta and their relevance to left…
Load Independence of Two-Dimensional Speckle-Tracking–Derived Left Ventricular Twist and Apex-to-Base Rotation Delay in Nonischemic Dilated Cardiomyopathy: Implications for Left Ventricular Dyssynchrony Assessment
Background Left ventricular (LV) twist mechanics are a promising, sensitive tool for assessing pathophysiologic changes in patients with systolic heart failure. Although LV twist is known to be load dependent…
Noninvasive Estimation of Left Ventricular Compliance Using Three-Dimensional Echocardiography
Background Left ventricular (LV) compliance is an important determinant of LV function and can be affected by a variety of cardiovascular conditions. In particular, diastolic dysfunction is associated with altered…
Right Ventricular Longitudinal Peak Systolic Strain Measurements from the Subcostal View in Patients with Suspected Pulmonary Hypertension: A Feasibility Study
Background The assessment of right ventricular (RV) function with two-dimensional echocardiography can be challenging in patients with pulmonary hypertension, especially in those with chronic pulmonary disease. The aim of the…
