Petter Tonseth

It became clear on day one that having an ultrasound was going to make a huge difference in terms of assessing patients preoperatively to either confirm a diagnosis or in some cases to make a diagnosis.

The International Surgical Missions team has brought equipment which they have left on Biri Island for the past 14 years. Bringing the Clarius device was the only type of medical imaging that this team has had in this area of Northern Samar. It became clear on day one that having an ultrasound was going to make a huge difference in terms of assessing patients preoperatively to either confirm a diagnosis or in some cases to make a diagnosis. We were able to allow the surgeon to go in knowing that they were nowhere near the dangerous structures. That scenario played itself out over and over again in our two-week mission. Going forward, it will be essential for this surgical mission to have access to ultrasound on every level – during triage, peri-operatively and certainly in the post-op pain relief scenario.

Petter Tonseth
, MD
Biri, Northern Samar, Philippines