Doppler evaluation is central to vascular assessment, especially for outpatient and diagnostic use. But inside the OR, the role of vascular Doppler medical devices changes dramatically.
Unlike outpatient and diagnostic settings where vascular assessments follow defined workflows, in the OR blood flow assessments happen while procedures are underway.
This distinction places intraoperative vascular Dopplers in a gray area between established learning disciplines and field training opportunities for surgical trainees. While residency training may include ultrasound through point-of-care applications, vascular access, trauma assessment, bedside imaging, or vascular laboratory concepts, hands-on vascular Doppler training often remains limited.
More comprehensive intraoperative Doppler training helps burgeoning surgeons gain confidence with a trusted tool designed for easier vascular assessments in the OR.
The Doppler Training Gap
While the use of point-of-care devices has grown, training on how to use them really hasn’t. Training is variable and reserved for emergency medicine, and integration into surgical training and practice remains inconsistent.1
When surgical residents receive applicable training, absent national standards or guidelines, exposure is often limited to lectures and simulations.2 Hands-on training can exponentially improve confidence with tools like vascular Doppler medical devices.
The OR adds constraints that can only be addressed anecdotally in classroom training, including sterile setup, equipment positioning, and how to interpret intraoperative vascular Doppler signals during surgical procedures.
Unfortunately, intraoperative Doppler tools don’t fit easily into surgical training. And exposure varies by institution, case mix, attending surgeons, and equipment availability. Residents may observe the use of a handheld surgical Doppler during a vascular, transplant, or microvascular case, and then not see them used again for some time. Trainees rarely have an opportunity to handle the device personally.
Research on education in this area highlights similar barriers. Common obstacles include limited curricular time, lack of trained faculty, and minimal support for building confidence with ultrasound devices. Faculty comfort with these kinds of devices remains low, stymied by insufficient device access and supported clinical training opportunities.2, 3
This disconnect in classroom and clinical settings limits intraoperative vascular Doppler use to something that’s observed but not put into practice. Trainees need ample exposure to fully grasp how vascular Doppler probe position affects signal quality, how to interpret signals, and the confidence that comes from repeated use; a blend of education and real-world application sets them up for greater success.4
Building Confidence Inside the OR
Surgical teams rely on Doppler-based evaluation where blood flow information can help support assessment before, during, and after procedures are complete.
Intraoperative vascular Dopplers play an important role in vascular surgeries as well as in high-stakes surgical procedures like transplants, where they are used to assess early postoperative complications like hepatic artery and portal vein thromboses.5,6
For trainees, repeated opportunities to handle a vascular Doppler probe, listen to signal quality, and understand how positioning impacts assessments are invaluable. Guided exposures in the OR help them get a better understanding of how blood flow assessments work beyond watching and observing.
Equipment design can help or hinder hands-on training efforts. Traditional Doppler tools reliant upon cords, tethered transceivers, and added coordination in the sterile field don’t lend themselves well to education in the OR.
Bulky boxes and cables requiring second operators can make Dopplers seem less accessible during busy procedures, especially for trainees who are still trying to gain confidence with performing intraoperative vascular assessments. Recent advancements in Doppler technology are reducing barriers to education and ease of use.
The Right Tool for Trainees
A cordless, handheld surgical Doppler allows for single-user operation without adding clutter or workflow disruptions.
From its ergonomic, lightweight build to single-use Doppler probes with sheaths to preserve sterile settings, VascuChek was designed for intraoperative and subcutaneous evaluation of blood flow. For medical Residents, hands-on learning with a cutting-edge Doppler that reflects the future of modern blood flow evaluation can help build confidence, even in the most high-stakes procedures.
Contact us to learn more about how VascuChek can help move your surgical training efforts forward.
Sources
- Beal, Eliza W., Benjamin R. Sigmond, Latifa Sage-Silski, Siobhan Lahey, Vi Nguyen, and D. Patrick Bahner. “Point-of-Care Ultrasound in General Surgery Residency Training: A Proposal for Milestones in Graduate Medical Education Ultrasound.” Journal of Ultrasound in Medicine 36, no. 12 (2017): 2577–2584. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jum.14298
- Hagood, Nancy L., Romik Srivastava, Marc E. Heincelman, and Meghan K. Thomas. “Building a Point of Care Ultrasound (POCUS) Curriculum in Undergraduate Medical Education Through Stepwise Development and Assessment.” POCUS Journal 10, no. 1 (2025). https://pocusjournal.com/article/18116
- Schnure, Nilan, Mahmoud Mohamed Elfadil, Wilma Chan, Cameron Baston, Frances Shofer, and Nova Panebianco. “Trends in Point of Care Ultrasound Familiarity Among Undergraduate Medical Clerkship Educators.” POCUS Journal9, no. 1 (2024): 80–86. https://pocusjournal.com/article/16678 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1931720415000379?via%3Dihub
- Kotagal, Meera, Elina Quiroga, Benjamin J. Ruffatto, Adeyinka A. Adedipe, Brandon H. Backlund, Dana C. Nathan, and Sachita Shah. “Impact of Point-of-Care Ultrasound Training on Surgical Residents’ Confidence.” Journal of Surgical Education 72, no. 4 (2015): e82–e87. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1931720415000379?via%3Dihub
- Normahani, Pasha, Bilal Khan, Viknesh Sounderajah, Sepideh Poushpas, Muzaffar Anwar, and Usman Jaffer. “Applications of Intraoperative Duplex Ultrasound in Vascular Surgery: A Systematic Review.” The Ultrasound Journal13, no. 1 (2021): 8. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13089-021-00208-8
- Okeke, Raymond I., Jeffery Bettag, Reeder Wells, Michaela Wycoff, Taylor Hallcox, Justin Lok, Alexandra Phocas, David L. Annakie, Ramy Shoela, and Mustafa Nazzal. “Intraoperative Doppler Ultrasound for Detection of Early Postoperative Vascular Complications in Orthotopic Liver Transplants.” Cureus 14, no. 6 (2022): e26077. https://www.cureus.com/articles/101287-intraoperative-doppler-ultrasound-for-detection-of-early-postoperative-vascular-complications-in-orthotopic-liver-transplants#!/