Handheld ultrasound

[Reveler]

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I work in a hospital system without great access to ultrasound machines and I’ve been thinking about buying a hand held probe. Does anyone have any recommendations? I see most utility in IVs, a lines, some POCUS stuff. I understand it’s tough to find a single probe that does it all. We always have a machine in PACU for blocks so that’s not an issue. Thoughts?

 

[vector2]

I work in a hospital system without great access to ultrasound machines and I’ve been thinking about buying a hand held probe. Does anyone have any recommendations? I see most utility in IVs, a lines, some POCUS stuff. I understand it’s tough to find a single probe that does it all. We always have a machine in PACU for blocks so that’s not an issue. Thoughts?

I have a butterfly. Even though it's definitely not as good as a sonosite I use it all the time. Would recommend.

 

[patriot6]

I also have a butterfly. Quality can be tough, but it does the job. I use it mostly for vascular access when an ultrasound isn’t immediately available.

 

[DocVapor]

I have the butterfly as well with the nerd holster. I use it frequently for access. Completely worth it, especially if like me you're able to use CME money for it. if people are asking me to try for IV I don't even bother doing blind sticks anymore. Of course they all know that they needed to have tried before they call me.

We have a dedicated block u/s that the nurses program with patient info so we use that, but I could totally do blocks with it if needed.

 

[Ezekiel2517]

I have the butterfly as well. Like others have said, I think it’s pretty decent. Haven’t really used it for blocks since regular ultrasound machines are always available. A critical care guy I know has the Philips portable ultrasound. He uses it all the time. Image quality definitely looked better than butterfly from what I’ve seen. Higher price point tho

 

[abolt18]

Ditto what everyone else said. Far from being on par with a nice sonosite, but it's a fraction of the cost. I use mine often for IV/art lines and quick bedside TTE in pre-op. Phased-array probes are almost impossible to find in our perioperative area so this does the job, allowing me to look at a heart and say "does it suck? Is it okay? Or is it in between?" Can visualize valves well enough as well to get a general gestalt for their overall function.

I don't have the "premium" access or whatever so I can only do color flow Doppler, no pulse wave or continuous wave for me.

 

[DrOwnage]

Of course they all know that they needed to have tried before they call me.

My favorite nurse phone call:
Me: "Hello."
OB Nurse: "Hi I have a patient who is a hard stick."
Me: "Did you try yet?"
OB Nurse: "No."

 

[MirrorTodd]

I'm waiting to buy the ge wireless.

 

[Hamhock]

UTS for the win

HH

 

[HalO'Thane]

If your primary goals are vascular access and blocks then you might want to look into the Philip’s Lumify Linear probe. The Lumify, IMO, has far superior image quality compared to the Butterfly and comes closest in quality to a stand alone probe. It is not a one probe fits all like the Butterfly so if you do want other functions, such as gastric or cardiac imaging, then the single linear probe won’t help you for that.

 

[Bryan O’Blivion]

If your primary goals are vascular access and blocks then you might want to look into the Philip’s Lumify Linear probe. The Lumify, IMO, has far superior image quality compared to the Butterfly and comes closest in quality to a stand alone probe. It is not a one probe fits all like the Butterfly so if you do want other functions, such as gastric or cardiac imaging, then the single linear probe won’t help you for that.

I had a lumify for while, about 4 years ago, and used it for blocks and lines. I ended up sending back in and using a butterfly. The image quality is better but the butterfly is faster to load.

 

[coffeebythelake]

My favorite nurse phone call:
Me: "Hello."
OB Nurse: "Hi I have a patient who is a hard stick."
Me: "Did you try yet?"
OB Nurse: "No."

classic.
lots of nurses do this.

 

[coffeebythelake]

What's the price point on these devices? And you've been able to get it reimbursed with your professional funds?

 

[abolt18]

What's the price point on these devices? And you've been able to get it reimbursed with your professional funds?

My department bought it with my professional funds. I think it was around $2400 for the butterfly.

 

[DocVapor]

My department bought it with my professional funds. I think it was around $2400 for the butterfly.

I was also required to buy 1 year of the advanced level, which was ~$700 on top if I recall correctly. I'll be letting that lapse.

 

[HalO'Thane]

I had a lumify for while, about 4 years ago, and used it for blocks and lines. I ended up sending back in and using a butterfly. The image quality is better but the butterfly is faster to load.

Did you have to submit the images for reimbursement purposes? If so was one better than the other at doing so?

 

[Bryan O’Blivion]

Did you have to submit the images for reimbursement purposes? If so was one better than the other

I think I did submit images with the lumify. I can’t remember how I did it now. The butterfly I just use for access (not central lines) so I don’t submit images.

 

[patriot6]

If your primary goals are vascular access and blocks then you might want to look into the Philip’s Lumify Linear probe. The Lumify, IMO, has far superior image quality compared to the Butterfly and comes closest in quality to a stand alone probe. It is not a one probe fits all like the Butterfly so if you do want other functions, such as gastric or cardiac imaging, then the single linear probe won’t help you for that.

That’s exactly what I want to do. Image quality and large bulky shape of the butterfly can make vascular access unnecessarily difficult imo. I always wanted a handheld true linear probe. But, how do you even buy this thing? I can’t find any for sale online. Do I really need to talk with purchasing at Philips?

 

[Bryan O’Blivion]

That’s exactly what I want to do. Image quality and large bulky shape of the butterfly can make vascular access unnecessarily difficult imo. I always wanted a handheld true linear probe. But, how do you even buy this thing? I can’t find any for sale online. Do I really need to talk with purchasing at Philips?

You can buy it outright or lease it.

 

[Guillemot]

I have a GE vscan air. Better image quality than bfly and also more expensive. Below is a review comparing it with bfly. That channel has other US reviews as well.

 

[patriot6]

You can buy it outright or lease it.

how? where?

 

[Bryan O’Blivion]

how? where?

I think I originally leased one by going to Philips healthcare USA. After I returned mine a year or so later I was contacted by reps from Philips offering it’s sale outright.

I think you can go to their website and request a sales inquiry. I just searched for Philips healthcare USA and got there. I do tend to use DuckDuckGo instead of google to cut through the search results. I think at that time you had to provide licensure, but I’m not sure that’s required anymore.

 

[dchz]

I have a GE vscan air. Better image quality than bfly and also more expensive. Below is a review comparing it with bfly. That channel has other US reviews as well.

I've seen the GE Vscan Air in action. It's legit.

As an attending, I'm thinking about purchasing the GE Vscan Air over the butterfly if I needed ultrasound as much as OP makes it out to sound.