We've launched a new campaign and this year the Foundation is raising funds for a special piece of equipment for the Emergency Department at the Leduc Community Hospital.
The goal is to raise $9600 for a nasopharyngoscope, a small flexible fiberoptic camera that allows the emergency physician to visualize the nasopharynx of a patient.
Patients often present complaints of swelling, pain or something stuck in their throat. Most of the time, this is a benign problem which resolves on its own, but sometimes can be associated with life-threatening conditions. The easiest way to assess this problem is to directly visualize the area and the only way to do so without anesthetizing the patient is to look using a fibre optic camera inserted through the nose.
Currently, patients suspected of a severe problem are transferred to the University Hospital to have the visualization performed.
"This is a fast five-minute and easy procedure that we could do at our hospital if we had the equipment, thereby providing better care for our patients and avoiding time-consuming and costly transfers," explains Dr. Barry, Facility Chief of Emergency Medicine.
