Point-Of-Care Ultrasound in Resource-Limited Settings

This article will review existing literature to describe the use of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) in the pediatric population in resource-limited settings (RLS). We conducted online searches on the clinical use of POCUS in pediatric and adult care in RLS. Original articles, reviews, opinions, descriptive studies, and case reports in English published between 1992 and 2015 were used. Forty articles were identified relating to POCUS use in pediatrics and adult care in RLS. It is most commonly used for the assessment of dehydration, pneumonia, superficial abscesses, and pericardial effusions as well as in the evaluation of trauma and cardiac function and diagnosing intussusception. Based upon this review, POCUS appears to be a reliable and effective imaging modality. The use of POCUS can decrease time to diagnosis, can reduce complications of pediatric emergency conditions, and should be considered as a mainstay for clinicians working in RLS.