Small device that might render stethoscope obsolete

A new device is being used at the Aga Khan University Hospital in Nairobi, which may render the stethoscope obsolete. The gadget is the point-of-care ultrasound (Pocus) device. “It has been used by radiologists and obstetricians for a long time,” Dr Benjamin Wachira, an emergency care physician explains. But advancements have compressed the technology to such a degree that handheld, pocket-sized versions are now readily available in Kenya. For low resource environments, the World Health Organisation now recommends portable ultrasound devices as a primary diagnostic tool. The device uses sound waves to produce pictures of the inside of the body. It is safe, non-invasive, and does not use radiation. “Every emergency department in any facility should have this,” Dr Wachira says.