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Pulmonary
Concurrent

Right Heart, Right Moves: Optimizing Failed Lungs and a Struggling RV

Tuesday, March 24, 2026
8:00 AM - 8:45 AM Central Time
Location: W178

    Concurrent Session Moderator(s)

  • Aliaksei Pustavoitau, MD, FCCM

    Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Maryland

    Disclosure(s): CoapTech: Owner/Co-Owner Founder/Co-Founder (Ongoing)

Patients with right ventricular dysfunction face unique challenges when respiratory failure develops. This session will explore how rapid recognition of right ventricular dysfunction, using a systematic qualitative ultrasound approach, is essential for guiding critical decisions. From optimizing anesthesia induction and intubation to adjusting ventilator settings, ultrasound allows clinicians to prevent further right ventricular decompensation. Speakers will highlight how serial evaluations and close monitoring of the right ventricle can inform decisions on noninvasive therapies such as high-flow oxygen or positive-pressure ventilation, ensuring timely transitions between respiratory support modalities. This session will emphasize practical, ultrasound-driven strategies for optimizing respiratory care and minimizing complications in patients with coexisting right ventricular dysfunction and respiratory failure.

Learning Objectives:

  • Discuss rapid ultrasound screening of the right ventricle (RV), inferior vena cava (IVC), and lungs to assess dysfunction and fluid status in patients with respiratory failure for optimized management
  • Develop strategies for optimizing induction and intubation using echocardiographic findings in patients with preexisting RV dysfunction
  • Incorporate echocardiography into ventilator management to prevent RV decompensation during positive-pressure ventilation
  • Discuss serial focused assessments of the RV, IVC, and lungs to guide decisions on extubation and noninvasive support such as high-flow nasal cannula or bilevel positive airway pressure

Presentations:

  • 8:05 AM - 8:20 AM Central Time
    Rapid Screening for Right Ventricular Dysfunction Using a Systematic Qualitative POCUS Exam

    Nibras Bughrara, MD, FASA, FCCM (he/him/his) – Albany Medical College

  • 8:20 AM - 8:35 AM Central Time
    To PEEP or ZEEP? Strategies for Ventilator and Noninvasive Support in RV Dysfunction

    Eric Kriner, RRT – MedStar Washington Hospital Center