Global Health: The IWISH Foundation and Sonosite Ultrasound Machines in Haiti
Audrey E. Stryker, MD, an Ob/Gyn and partner at Women's Ob-Gyn, P.C., has been traveling to underdeveloped countries with Sonosite ultrasound systems since 2004. As a part of the IWISH Foundation (International Women & Infant Sustainable Healthcare), she and her colleagues recently travelled to Haiti to help train the next generation of medical professionals. This is her story."We've been traveling to underdeveloped countries since 2004, hoping to achieve a model that offers a sustainable means for countries to provide health care for their women and children. Haiti…
POCUS Profile: Dr. Matthew J. Reed
Point-of-care ultrasound plays an important role in the emergency sector, enabling hospital clinicians and paramedics responding to an urgent call for medical assistance to assess a patient’s condition. Dr Matthew Reed, an Emergency Medicine consultant at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, explains how ultrasound contributes to the management of cardiac arrest:"My interest in ultrasound began over a decade ago when, as a registrar training in Edinburgh, I visited Australia to work at the Royal North Shore Hospital in Sydney. At that time, we were not using ultrasound in Edinburgh;…
Concerns about Point-of-Care Ultrasound in Australia
by Rich Fabian, Chief Operating Officer, FUJIFILM Sonosite
A recent article in the Sydney Morning Herald about a push for increased point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) funding caught my eye. I was initially excited that the topic was receiving such prominent placement, but after delving in, I realised that that situation being described was obviously very frustrating for the people involved.
The article describes three problems that Australian providers and patients face when it comes to the use of POCUS in Australian Emergency Departments.
Medical Professionals Need POCUS Training…
The Tube Approach to Perioperative Point-of-Care Ultrasound
Anaesthetists working in perioperative medicine have increasingly taken a whole body approach to patient evaluation known as TUBE – Total Ultrasound Body Examination – thanks to the development of point-of-care ultrasound.Dr. Christophe Aveline, Consultant Anaesthetist in critical care and surgery at the Sévigné Private hospital in Rennes, is an advocate of TUBE and works closely on its adoption with the European Society of Regional Anaesthesia (ESRA) and the French Society of Anaesthesia and Resuscitation. Dr. Aveline recently sat down with Sonosite to discusses the importance of the TUBE…
7 Ways to Include POCUS in Medical School Training
When Dr. Peter Steinmetz took on the task of ensuring McGill University’s medical school graduates would be proficient in the use of point-of-care ultrasound, he faced numerous challenges, not the least of which was the fact that the undergraduate medical school curriculum was already full.Dr. Steinmetz’s first step was to convince the curriculum implementation committee that ultrasound is essential for future clinicians. “Ultrasound is performed by clinicians worldwide, and is an ideal adjunct to teaching anatomy and conducting physical examinations,” explains Dr. Steinmetz. “You need to…
Sonosite Ultrasound Gets Dirty at the Spartan Race
On the weekend of July 1 and 2, the pretty ski resort of Morzine in the region of Savoy welcomed the famous and difficult Spartan Race, an obstacle race open to all physical abilities and all levels. Competitors came from all over Europe to take part in the event.
With cold temperatures (54°F [12°C]), mud, rain, and a glacial river, the competition lived up to its reputation. In this type of race, competitors are put through the mill and regrettably injuries are common. When it comes to first aid, it pays to be prepared. Dr. Bensalah is used to extreme competitions. He is…
Fujifilm initiates a Phase I clinical trial of Anti-Cancer Drug FF-10101 in the United States in patients with Relapsed or Refractory Acute Myeloid Leukaemia (AML)
FUJIFILM Corporation (President: Kenji Sukeno) announced the commencement of a Phase I clinical trial of its anti-cancer drug FF-10101 in the Unites States in patients with relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukaemia (AML).
AML is a type of haematological malignancy associated with the malignant transformation of hematopoietic stem cells, which generate blood cells, into leukaemia cells. These leukaemia cells then exhibit abnormal growth in the bone marrow and it prevents the generation of blood cells. Furthermore, the leukaemia cells with aberrant growth invade other organs outside the…
Thyroid and Parathyroid Surgery Using Ultrasound-Guided Nerve Blocks
A Sonosite SII point-of-care ultrasound system recently played a key role in an innovative procedure of thyroid surgery without the use of general anaesthetic.Dr. Rüdiger Eichholz, a consultant anaesthetist working for private practise in Stuttgart, Germany, explained the case.“We were approached with an unusual case; a young woman in need of thyroid surgery, but unwilling to have a general anaesthetic due to a childhood medical trauma,” said Dr. Eicholz. “We looked at the possibility of performing an ultrasound-guided block of the cervical nerves pathway – a technique commonly used for…
Global Health: 3 Case Studies Show the Value of POCUS in Resource-Limited Healthcare
Dr. Thomas Sullivan recently returned from Quang Nam province in Vietnam, where he had volunteered at a series of clinics in late July, with the assistance of ASSORV through the Vietnam Health Clinic group of the University of Washington.Dr. Sullivan practises radiology at the Centre for Diagnostic Imaging in Seattle, WA, and borrowed a Sonosite Edge point-of-care ultrasound machine for his trip. Dr. Sullivan reported three medical cases that showed the value of POCUS in resource-limited settings.1). "A perimenopausal woman presented with a history of ovarian cancer, presumably by palpation…
WCUME17 POCUS Chat: Interview with Dr. Peter Steinmetz - PT. 2
Dr. Peter Steinmetz, co-chair of WCUME 2017 and Director of Undergraduate Bedside Ultrasound Teaching at McGill University answers questions around the use of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) and ensuring its proper use worldwide.
You can listen to the audio interview with Dr. Steinmetz here.
Read our first blog featuring Dr. Steinmetz here.
What needs to happen nationally and internationally to improve the consistency of user skills and spread use of POCUS across medical disciplines?
"It all starts with undergraduate medical education (UGME) as the foundation. There needs to be…
Sonosite Portable Ultrasound at the Spartan Race
From July 1-2, the Morzine ski resort in Savoy, France hosted the Spartan Race, an obstacle course open to all physical abilities and all levels. Competitors from all over Europe took part in the event.With cold temperatures (54°F [12°C]), mud, rain, and a glacial river, the competition lived up to its formidable reputation and in this type of race, competitors are put through the mill and injuries are common. When it comes to providing first aid to competitors, it pays to come prepared.Dr. Mourad Bensalah practises medicine in the Intensive Care Unit at St. Anne military hospital in Toulon…
Battling Opioid Over-Prescription from Inside the ED
Did you know that nearly half of all opioid overdoses involve a prescription?Physicians are beginning to tackle the problem at ground zero: in the ED, where many patients receive their first prescription opioids.From treating acute traumatic pain to identifying new ways to alleviate patient suffering, emergency medicine physicians are identifying new ways to alleviate patient suffering without prescribing potentially addictive narcotics. Innovative methods like ultrasound-guided nerve blocks can take patient pain from 10 to 0 in a matter of minutes.Join FUJIFILM Sonosite (booth# 2307) in…
Global Health: Fujifilm Sonosite Machines Assist Puerto Rican Recovery
Dr. Alfredo Tirado is from Florida Hospital in Orlando, and has been leading an emergency response mission in Puerto Rico to help with Hurricane Maria relief.
FUJIFILM Sonosite has contributed four M-Turbos to the medical recovery efforts, and Dr. Tirado sent us an update on his work with medical patients on the island. He is being escorted by helicopter to the most at-need regions and in the image below he is using the Sonosite iViz to perform a FAST scan on a patient.
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"Thank you for helping us give…
The Changing Face of Anaesthesia
With constant pressure on healthcare providers to improve the quality and efficiency of care while reducing costs, standardisation of patient management is a logical step towards more streamlined services. Anaesthesia is one area that is beginning to embrace this approach, combining regional nerve blocks with ultrasound guidance to improve both the quality and effectiveness of patient care while minimizing hospital stays.Dr. Martin Zoremba (PhD), Chief Registrar in the anaesthesia Department at Kreisklinikum Siegen, describes the transformation of his department and the benefits that a…
POCUS Profile: Dr. Torsten Müller
Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is rapidly becoming a crucial tool for emergency medicine in Germany, and it's increasingly common for ambulances and emergency doctor vehicles to be equipped with POCUS systems. Dr. Torsten Müller is the medical head of rescue services for Kassel, Germany, overseeing pre-hospital care functions for a system that currently runs 65 ambulances and a helicopter, as well as six emergency doctors’ cars that have recently been equipped with FUJIFILM Sonosite iViz systems. Dr. Müller also works part-time as an anaesthetist at Klinikum Kassel, one…
Portable Ultrasound Machine for International Medical Missions
Dr. Russell Engevik is an emergency room physician from California who volunteers with Lighthouse Medical Missions.He recently sent a video showing us how he utilises a borrowed Sonosite iViz while working with patients in the hospital in the small fishing village of Tanji, The Gambia.The Gambia is a resource-poor nation in West Africa with an economy that relies primarily upon tourism. Less than 6% of the land is arable, and the main crop grown in the country is peanuts.The Gambia is nearly entirely surrounded by the country of Senegal, except for the section that is bordered by the Atlantic…
Case Study: Point-of-Care Ultrasound in Resuscitation Situations
How valuable is the use of point-of-care ultrasound in resuscitation situations? Consider the following case study, provided by Dr. Mark Mensour, ER physician, Assistant Professor at the Northern Ontario (Canada) School of Medicine and course developer for Emergency healthcare practitioners.
A 59-year old male, recently admitted for fever and pneumonia, is intubated and ventilated. While in the CT scanner to determine whether he has acute respiratory distress syndrome, the patient suffers a cardiac arrest with pulseless electrical activity (PEA). CPR was initiated, and the endotracheal tube…
Global Health: Ultrasound Expands Access and Improves Maternal Care
Every day, 800 women die from preventable causes related to pregnancy and childbirth. 99% live in rural areas. Many of them could be prevented with proper maternal care including ultrasound imaging during their pregnancy and delivering in a medical clinic. Of those deaths, 40% are due to injuries or conditions related to placenta complications - and the only way to detect abnormal placenta challenges is through an ultrasound exam.A few years ago, Sonosite partnered with Qualcomm Wireless Reach, Trice Imaging Inc., and Sony to create the Mobile Ultrasound Patrol project, a trial…
POC Ultrasound Testing Speeds Diagnosis, Safety at the Bedside
Physicians today face a multitude of ever evolving challenges, and one thing we’ve seen is an increase in the demand for educational sessions covering the latest in ultrasound. Dr. Keith Boniface from the George Washington University School of Medicine talked to Healio.com at the American College of Physicians Internal Medicine Meeting on why ultrasound education and learning is so critical. One of the things that has led to an increased demand for this type of course this year is that we are pressured as clinicians to make diagnoses more rapidly and less invasively. A lot of…
Point-of-Care Ultrasound Shows Promise for Osgood-Schlatter Diagnosis
Osgood-Schlatter disease is a developmental disorder that causes musculoskeletal problems and is rare in the normal population. However, the condition is more common in teenagers who play sports, affecting an estimated 3-5% percent of this population; it causes painful inflammation below the knee in adolescents and can lead to permanent soft tissue damage. The condition is often diagnosed by MRI, which is both costly and impractical for screening purposes.Dr. Ralf Doyscher, from the Department of Sports Medicine at Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, recently participated in a study of…