Focused Assessment With Sonography for Trauma (FAST), NanoMaxx Ultrasound System (SonoSite), RP-Xpress (InTouch Technologies), Thoracoabdominal Trauma
Conditions
Keywords
FAST, Thoracoabdominal Trauma, Prehospital care, ultrasound, NanoMaxx Ultrasound, RP-Xpress
Brief summary
The NanoMaxx Ultrasound System (SonoSite) in connection with the RP-Xpress (InTouch Technologies) provides a means of transmitting ultrasound images, video, and audio to a remote location in real-time. It has been envisioned that this system be used to diagnose trauma patients with suspected pleural effusion, hemothorax, pneumothorax, or abdominal blockage during prehospital care; under the guidance of in-hospital physicians, paramedics would perform an Focused Assessment with Sonography for Trauma (FAST) examination while trauma patients are transported to hospital via ambulance. The investigators hypothesize that in-hospital physicians interpreting ultrasound images obtained by paramedics during trauma patients' transportation to hospital will reduce time to diagnosis; thus, preparations by emergency physicians, surgeons, and operating room teams to receive critically injured patients may begin earlier, reducing time to intervention during a critical period in patient care. Data will also be collected regarding quality of images obtained in-ambulance and the interaction between paramedics and physicians using the remote-presence system.
Interventions
None listed
Sponsors
Saskatoon Health Region
M.D. Ambulance Care Ltd.
University of Saskatchewan
Study design
Observational model
CASE_ONLY
Time perspective
PROSPECTIVE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
for FAST cohort: * Patient is 18 years of age or older * Patient presenting with blunt or penetrating trauma to the thorax or abdomen * Patient transported by MD Ambulance to Royal University Hospital * Patient being transported by a paramedic who has received training in the above ultrasound system and who has with them a NanoMaxx Ultrasound System (SonoSite) to be used in connection with the RP-Xpress (InTouch Technologies) * Patient will take longer than 10 minutes to transport to hospital * Patient's care will not be compromised in completing a FAST exam - opinion of paramedic * Patient's care will not be compromised in completing a FAST exam - opinion of ER physician Inclusion Criteria for Controls: * Patient is 18 years of age or older * Patient presenting with blunt or penetrating trauma to the thorax or abdomen * Patient transported by MD Ambulance to Royal University Hospital * Patient will take longer than 10 minutes to transport to hospital
Exclusion criteria
* Patients under the age of 18 * Patients whose care would be compromised if other procedures of higher priority (as determined by paramedics and/or remotely-present physicians) were not be able to be executed due to time involved in completing a FAST exam * Patients who are not being transported to Royal University Hospital * Patients whose expected transport time from scene to hospital is less than 10 minutes
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| Time to diagnosis | Within 24 hours |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| Time to intervention | Within 24 hours |
Other
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| Audio quality scores on the visual analog scale | Same day |
| Video quality scores on the visual analog scale | Same day |
Countries
Canada
Outcome results
None listed