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Objective To assess the effects of a cardiopulmonary ultrasound (CPUS) examination on diagnostic accuracy for critically ill patients in a resource limited setting. Methods Approximately half of the emergency medicine resident physicians at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi, Ghana were trained in a CPUS protocol. Adult patients triaged to the resuscitation area of the emergency department (ED) were enrolled if they exhibited signs or symptoms of shock or respiratory distress. Patients were assigned to the intervention group if their treating physician had completed the CPUS training. The physician's initial diagnostic impression was recorded immediately after the history and physical examination in the control group, and after an added CPUS examination in the intervention group. This was compared to a standardized final diagnosis derived from post-hoc chart review of the patient's care at 24 hours by two blinded, independent reviewers using a clearly defined and systematic process. Secondary outcomes were 24-hour mortality and use of IV fluids, diuretics, vasopressors and bronchodilators. Results Of 890 patients presenting during the study period, 502 were assessed for eligibility, and 180 patients were enrolled. Diagnostic accuracy was higher for patients who received the CPUS examination (71.9% vs. 57.1%, Δ 14.8% [CI 0.5%, 28.4%]). This effect was particularly pronounced for patients with a “cardiac” diagnosis, such as cardiogenic shock, congestive heart failure, or acute valvular disease (94.7% vs. 40.0%, Δ 54.7% [CI 8.9%, 86.4%]). Secondary outcomes were not different between groups. Conclusions In an urban ED in Ghana, a CPUS examination improved the accuracy of the treating physician's initial diagnostic impression. There were no differences in 24-hour mortality and a number of patient care interventions. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Background Point-of-care-ultrasound (POCUS) is an increasingly important tool for emergency physicians and has become a standard component of emergency medicine residency training in high-income countries. Cardiopulmonary ultrasound (CPUS) is emerging as an effective way to quickly and accurately assess patients who present to the emergency department with shock and dyspnea. Use of POCUS, including CPUS, is also becoming more prevalent in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs); however, formal ultrasound training for emergency medicine resident physicians in these settings is not widely available. Objectives To evaluate the feasibility of integrating a high-intensity ultrasound training program into the formal curriculum for emergency medicine resident physicians in an LMIC. Methods We conducted a pilot ultrasound training program focusing on CPUS for 20 emergency medicine resident physicians in Kumasi, Ghana, which consisted of didactic sessions and hands-on practice. Competency was assessed by comparing pretest and posttest scores and with an Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) performed after the final training session. Results The mean score on the pretest was 61%, and after training, the posttest score was 96%. All residents obtained passing scores above 70% on the OSCE. Conclusion A high-intensity ultrasound training program can be successfully integrated into an emergency medicine training curriculum in an LMIC.

Introduction: Respiratory failure is commonly seen in African emergency centres and intensive care units, but little is known about the need for intubation and mechanical ventilation. Methods: From April to October 2017, we recorded the number of patients intubated and ventilated in the emergency centre and intensive care unit at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Kumasi, Ghana on a daily basis. We assessed patients for presence of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) using the Kigali Modification of the Berlin ARDS criteria. ARDS patients were re-assessed daily. Results: During the study period, 102 patients were intubated, of which 82 were assessed by the study team. The remaining 20 patients died before they could be assessed. Two (2.4%) patients were identified as having ARDS, and both died. Neither was treated with prone positioning or chemical paralysis. It is possible that many of the patients who died before an assessment suffered from ARDS, considering its associated high mortality, and thus the true incidence of ARDS may have been higher. Conclusion: Respiratory failure requiring intubation and mechanical ventilation is common in patients presenting to the emergency centre or intensive care unit at an academic tertiary care centre in Ghana. The true incidence of ARDS was likely underestimated by our study. Keywords: Respiratory failure, Respiratory insufficiency, Low-resource setting, Intubation, Mechanical ventilation, Ghana

To review the scientific literature pertaining to the use of hand-carried and hand-held ultrasound devices in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC), with a focus on clinical applications, geographical areas of use, the impact on patient management and technical features of the devices used.; The electronic databases PubMed and Google Scholar were searched. No language or date restrictions were applied. Case reports and original research describing the use of hand-carried ultrasound devices in LMIC were included if agreed upon as relevant by two-reviewer consensus based on our predefined research questions.; A total of 644 articles were found and screened, and 36 manuscripts were included for final review. Twenty-seven studies were original research articles, and nine were case reports. Several reports describe the successful diagnosis and management of difficult, often life-threatening conditions, using hand-carried and hand-held ultrasound. These portable ultrasound devices have also been studied for cardiac screening exams, as well as a rapid triage tool in rural areas and after natural disaster. Most applications focus on obstetrical and abdominal complaints. Portable ultrasound may have an impact on clinical management in up to 70% of all cases. However, no randomised controlled trials have evaluated the impact of ultrasound-guided diagnosis and treatment in resource-constrained settings. The exclusion of articles published in journals not listed in the large databases may have biased our results. Our findings are limited by the lack of higher quality evidence (e.g. controlled trials).; Hand-carried and hand-held ultrasound is successfully being used to triage, diagnose and treat patients with a variety of complaints in LMIC. However, the quality of the current evidence is low. There is an urgent need to perform larger clinical trials assessing the impact of hand-carried ultrasound in LMIC.

Objective Brief training courses in bedside ultrasound are commonly done by visiting faculty in low-income and middle-income countries, and positive short-term effects have been reported. Long-term outcomes are poorly understood. We held a training course on a cardiopulmonary ultrasound (CPUS) protocol over two separate 10-day periods in 2016. In 2017, 9–11 months after the initial training, we assessed skill and knowledge retention as well as perceived impact on local practice. Methods A written test using six clinical vignettes and an observed structured clinical examination were used to assess theoretical knowledge and practical skills. Additionally, in-person interviews and a written survey were completed with the physicians who had participated in the initial training. Results All 20 participants passed the written and clinical examination. The median follow-up test score was 10 out of 12, compared with a median score of 12 on a test completed immediately after the initial training. Physicians identified the ability to narrow their differential diagnosis and to initiate critical interventions earlier than without ultrasound as a key benefit of the CPUS training. They rated the cardiac, abdominal and inferior vena cava components of the CPUS protocol as most relevant to their everyday practice. Conclusion Long-term ultrasound knowledge and skill retention was high after a brief and intensive training intervention at an academic tertiary hospital in Ghana. Clinicians reported improvements in patient care and local practice patterns.