How Sonosite is Helping to Fight Ebola

From ground zero of the Ebola outbreak – Dr.Trish Henwood is on a medical mission to better understand the pathophysiology of the disease and her Sonosite ultrasound has already been proven invaluable. It is pioneer physicians like Trish that will allow the global medical community to get a grasp on this devastating illness and with our support she is actually making that happen.

We received a wonderful letter from Trish today telling us about some of the work she has been doing in Liberia:

Not surprisingly, in just a brief period of use, I found all sorts of interesting and important findings.  Just to name a few, regular cases of massive hepatomegaly and what appear to be micro abscesses, unexpected pericardial effusions without pleural or peritoneal fluid raising the question of a primary cardiac attack by the virus, several paralytic ileus suggesting against loperamide and in favor of empiric IV antibiotics because of concern for resultant secondary gram negative sepsis, etc.  

I think there is a significant potential in terms of a better understanding of the pathophysiology of the Ebola virus by ultrasound and management changing information that we can gain from here which can hopefully save more lives. 

This work in West Africa is so important because I think there are unquestionably huge patient care needs here and much to be revealed here by someone with ultrasound training

Trish is a co-founder of the PURE Initiative and they provide ultrasound to resource-limited environments including Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda.

Sonosite would like to recognize Dr. Henwood for her humanitarian efforts.