Respiratory failure requiring mechanical ventilation in critically ill adults in Ghana: A prospective observational study.

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.

Skill and knowledge retention after training in cardiopulmonary ultrasound in Ghana: an impact assessment of bedside ultrasound training in a resource-limited setting.

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.

Cardiopulmonary ultrasound for critically ill adults improves diagnostic accuracy in a resource-limited setting: the AFRICA trial.

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.

Sustainable Resuscitation Ultrasound Education in a Low-Resource Environment: The Kumasi Experience.

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.

The use of portable ultrasound devices in low- and middle-income countries: a systematic review of the literature.

Objectives: 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.

Methods: The electronic databases PubMed and Google Scholar were searched. No language or date restrictions were applied.