Manpreet S. Malik
Introducing Point of Care Ultrasound to Tikur Anbessa Hospital, Ethiopia
Manpreet S. Malik, MD, SFHM
Academic Hospitalist, Atlanta, GA
Read below as Manpreet Malik, MD, SFHM, provides a first-hand account of his experience using the Kosmos platform in a resource limited setting at Tikur Anbessa Hospital in Ethiopia. This narrative is lightly edited for digital publication.
This past spring, I traveled to Ethiopia as part of my university’s global health track through its Internal Medicine department. This was a trip 3 years in the making, with the pandemic having thwarted plans to visit with our residents in March of 2020.
Since that time, we have run multiple virtual workshops for residents, fellows and faculty in Tikur Anbessa (Black Lion) Hospital to introduce them to Point of Care Ultrasound. We were also able to donate devices, however this time, I traveled with the EchoNous Kosmos system, loaned to me for this trip. Having used the system recently at my hospital and bought three systems for the residency program, I was excited to be able to teach and apply POCUS at Black Lion Hospital in Addis Ababa in Ethiopia.
I was able to utilize the Kosmos system all day and every day at the hospital. The portability of the device allowed me to scan in multiple areas. For diagnostic applications, we scanned in the Medical ICU, the Cardiac ICU, medical floors, and in the Emergency room.
Spending most of my time with the pulmonary and critical care teams meant many pulmonary and infectious diagnoses. We diagnosed lobar pneumonias and viral pneumonias, tubercular pleural effusions and empyema and were even able to scan a mass attached to the chest wall, facilitating a biopsy in the office for a patient who would otherwise be unable to afford or schedule a CT guided biopsy.
We saw cases of endocarditis and heart failure and put the capabilities of the device to work. For procedural applications, we were able to perform multiple central lines utilizing the device.
For educational purposes, I utilized the Kosmos system to run three workshops for residents at Tikur Anbessa Hospital. These focused on cardiac scanning with automatic image labeling, IVC scanning and pulmonary scanning. I plan to continue a longitudinal curriculum with our colleagues in Ethiopia.
Overall, I was impressed with the portability, the versatility and reliability of the device in both clinical and teaching environments. I hope to be able to continue utilizing the Kosmos system for future global health trips.
For educational purposes, I utilized the EchoNous to run 3 workshops for residents at Tikur Anbessa Hospital. These focused on cardiac scanning with automatic image labeling, IVC scanning and pulmonary scanning. I plan to continue a longitudinal curriculum with our colleagues in Ethiopia.
Overall, I was impressed with the portability, the versatility and reliability of the device in both clinical and teaching environments. I hope to be able to continue utilizing EchoNous for future global health trips.
