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The use of ultrasonography in perioperative medicine has developed rapidly within the last decade. Today ultrasonic techniques are established methods for peripheral and central venous access as well as for regional anaesthesia. However, transthoracic ultrasonography by non-cardiologists has not yet been routinely established perioperatively, in intensive care medicine or in emergency medicine. With the current module 4: Cardiosonography of the DGAI-certified seminar series in Anaesthesia Focussed Sonography (AFS) it is intended to provide a basis for a quality assured training and implementation of transthoracic sonography in anaesthesia, intensive care medicine and emergency medicine., (© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York.)

Invasive monitoring is rarely used in children undergoing routine anaesthesia. Therefore the management of fluid therapy and its maintenance depends often on the experience of the anaesthetist. In situations of high volume uptake and during critical surgical procedures haemodynamic state can easily be underestimated and hypovolaemic episodes remain undetected. This article summarises recent developments of less invasive and continuous monitoring techniques available for paediatric use which probably represent a useful addition in optimising the perioperative haemodynamic performance.