Real-Time Tele-echocardiography: Diagnosis and Management of a Pericardial Effusion Secondary to Pericarditis at an Antarctic Research Station

Abstract

The McMurdo Research Station medical facility functions at the level of a rural community hospital emergency department. Telehealth technology has played an increasingly important role in providing intercontinental tertiary healthcare consultations, particularly for assistance with diagnostically challenging cases or cases involving complicated medical management. The role of telehealth in Antarctica is vital given the harsh and remote environment. The following case discusses a real-time tele-ultrasound consultation between the station physician and a patient with pericarditis at the McMurdo Medical Clinic in Antarctica and a team of cardiology consultants at the University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX. The use of teleheath technologies prevented an unnecessary intercontinental medical evacuation and allowed the patient to receive treatment at the McMurdo Research Station. This case report demonstrates that real-time tele-ultrasound can serve as an important diagnostic resource in the delivery of healthcare to isolated populations in remote environments.