Typhoid intestinal perforation: Point-of-care ultrasound as a diagnostic tool in a rural Ugandan Hospital.

Abstract

IntroductionPoint-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) in resource-limited areas has demonstrated utility in the hands of physicians and may be useful for non-physician providers to learn as well.Case ReportAn 11 year old male presented with abdominal pain and diffuse abdominal tenderness to a remote Emergency Centre (EC). An Emergency Care Practitioner, a non-physician emergency care provider with limited ultrasound training, used bedside ultrasonography and alerted the on-call surgeon of complex intraperitoneal fluid representing perforated typhoid, which expedited the patient’s care.DiscussionThere is scant literature involving cases of non-physician use of POCUS, particularly in the emergency care setting. This case demonstrates the potential benefits of training these providers in POCUS.