Introduction:

Point-of-care ultrasound (PoCUS) has been positioned as a non-invasive and effective tool to complement the clinical diagnosis of systemic congestion. This condition frequently occurs in pathologies such as nephrotic syndrome, acute kidney injury and cirrhosis; tools that allow precise evaluation of congestion are crucial to provide individualized clinical management.

Objectives:

To describe the use of PoCUS in the identification and management of systemic congestion in adults, taking into account jugular vein measurement, lung ultrasound, and VExUS. A brief description is provided of some special situations, such as nephrotic syndrome, cirrhosis, and acute kidney injury.

Methods:

A scoping review was carried out following the methodological framework of Arksey and O'Malley and the PRISMA-ScR guide, the databases consulted were PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane Library and LILACS.

Results:

PoCUS allows the identification of signs of systemic congestion across multiple territories, including the jugular vein, lungs, and abdominal veins (such as the portal, renal, and hepatic veins), among others. Its application facilitates the characterization of hemodynamic status and may aid in monitoring clinical response to decongestive therapy.

Conclusions:

PoCUS is a valuable and versatile tool for the comprehensive evaluation of systemic congestion providing vital information to guide diagnosis and treatment, potentially improving clinical outcomes in critically ill patients.

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