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TEE Image Quality Improvement With Our Devised Probe Cover

TEE Image Quality Improvement With Our Devised Transesophageal Echocardiography Probe Cover and Its Effect on Surgical Decision Making

Status
Completed
Phases
NA
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT03812185
Enrollment
53
Registered
2019-01-23
Start date
2019-01-01
Completion date
2019-12-31
Last updated
2023-12-13

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Image Quality

Brief summary

With using suction tube attached TEE probe cover, we will assess its pinpoint suction capacity on image quality and surgical decision making.

Detailed description

Background: Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) has become a standard intraoperative diagnosis technique for clinical management of patients during cardiac and non-cardiac surgery. Accurate intraoperative diagnosis by TEE improves as image quality improves. Although we recently reported enhanced image quality using a TEE probe with an attached orogastric tube, its clinical significance is still unknown. Also, we are concerned about potential clinical complications including damage to the upper gastrointestinal tract due to its rough surface. Therefore, we devised a new TEE probe cover equipped with a suction catheter and ultrasound gel containing pad that functions as a cushion for preventing surrounding tissue trauma. Our long-term goal is to improve TEE image quality, which will help surgical decision-making with precise assessment. The study population will be elective cardiac cases and liver transplant cases at Henry Ford Hospital. The objective of this grant is to assess the image quality change with our newly designed TEE probe, and its clinical utility on patient care in different types of procedures. Aim 1. To assess TEE image quality before and after pin-point suctioning with our newly designed TEE probe. We hypothesize that decreasing stomach air between the TEE probe transducer and tissue wall by pin-point suction with our newly designed TEE probe will reduce ultrasound reflection and lead to better image quality. Aim 2. To evaluate the clinical utility of our newly designed TEE probe cover. We hypothesize our newly designed TEE probe cover will facilitate decision-making for both anesthesiologists and surgeons and it will not increase the occurrence of TEE probe related trauma.

Interventions

DEVICESuctioning orogastric tube which is attached to TEE probe cover

Suctioning orogastric tube which is atttached to TEE probe cover.

Sponsors

Henry Ford Hospital
CollaboratorOTHER
Henry Ford Health System
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
NA
Intervention model
SINGLE_GROUP
Primary purpose
DIAGNOSTIC
Masking
NONE

Masking description

Since this is a single group study, participant, care provider, and investigator will NOT be masked. However, outcome assessor (who assess image quality and perform measurement using stored TEE images) will be masked

Intervention model description

For intraoperative TEE used cardiac or transplant cases, investigators will compare TEE image quality before and after suctioning using orogastric tube attached TEE probe cover

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

Cardiac procedures and liver transplants which had intraoperative TEE -

Exclusion criteria

general contraindication with TEE, apparent complications which are related to TEE. \-

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Image Quality Assessment Method#1: Difference in Likert Scale Before/After SuctioningTEE image sets were acquired after general anesthesia induction (before suctioning) and after 10minutes (after suctioning), and the outcome was the difference in image quality. In 6-8 months, investigator C did the same analysis on the same images.Difference in image quality assessment by Likert scale before/after suctioning, by assessing quality of images stored before/after suctioning. Investigators categorized the quality of all acquired images on a numeric scale (the higher number means higher image quality) based on each investigator's impression (1: very poor, 2: poor, 3: acceptable, 4: good, and 5: very good). Image quality improvement was determined by increased number. Three investigators (A, B, C) assessed the quality of all TEE image sets (i.e. before and after suctioning) post hoc. The acquired numeric scales were combined, and compared before and after suctioning, and calculated how much percentage of patients had improved image quality (i.e. increase in numeric scale), same quality (i.e. same numeric scale), and worsened image quality (i.e. decrease in numeric scale)

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Reproducibility of the LV FAC (Inter-observer)Images were acquired after general anesthesia induction (before suctioning) and after 10minutes (after suctioning images).The reproducibility of the LV FAC was assessed, assuming that better image quality would yield better LV FAC reproducibility. Three investigators (A, B, and C) assessed the quality of all TEE image sets (i.e. before and after suctioning) post hoc. These image sets are combined and assessment was done for each group (i.e. before and after suctioning)
Reproducibility of the LV FAC (Intra-observer)6-8 months after initial images obtained during surgery.Investigator C analyzed all image sets again in 6-8 months to determine if there was intra-observer variability with the initial assessment of image quality. All investigators were blinded to which images were obtained before or after suctioning.
Reproducibility of the RV FAC (Inter-observer)Images were acquired after general anesthesia induction (before suctioning) and after 10minutes (after suctioning).The reproducibility of the RV FAC was assessed, assuming that better image quality would yield better RV FAC reproducibility. Three investigators (A, B, and C) assessed the quality of all TEE image sets (i.e. before and after suctioning) post hoc.
Reproducibility of the RV FAC (Intra-observer)6-8 months after initial images obtained during surgery.Investigator C analyzed all image sets again in 6-8 months to determine if there was intra-observer variability with the initial assessment of image quality. All investigators were blinded to which images were obtained before or after suctioning.

Countries

United States

Participant flow

Pre-assignment details

3 patients excluded due to resistance to orogastric tube advancement.

Participants by arm

ArmCount
TEE Image Before and After Suctioning Orogastric Tube
for intraoperative TEE used cardiac or transplant cases, TEE images will be stored before and after suctioning orogastric tube which is attached to TEE probe cover.
50
Total50

Withdrawals & dropouts

PeriodReasonFG000
TEE Imaging Before SuctioningPhysician Decision3

Baseline characteristics

CharacteristicTEE Image Before and After Suctioning Orogastric Tube
Age, Categorical
<=18 years
0 Participants
Age, Categorical
>=65 years
0 Participants
Age, Categorical
Between 18 and 65 years
50 Participants
Age, Continuous61 years
Race and Ethnicity Not Collected— Participants
Region of Enrollment
United States
50 participants
Sex/Gender, Customized
gender not known
50 Participants

Adverse events

Event typeEG000
affected / at risk
EG001
affected / at risk
deaths
Total, all-cause mortality
0 / 500 / 50
other
Total, other adverse events
0 / 500 / 50
serious
Total, serious adverse events
0 / 500 / 50

Outcome results

Primary

Image Quality Assessment Method#1: Difference in Likert Scale Before/After Suctioning

Difference in image quality assessment by Likert scale before/after suctioning, by assessing quality of images stored before/after suctioning. Investigators categorized the quality of all acquired images on a numeric scale (the higher number means higher image quality) based on each investigator's impression (1: very poor, 2: poor, 3: acceptable, 4: good, and 5: very good). Image quality improvement was determined by increased number. Three investigators (A, B, C) assessed the quality of all TEE image sets (i.e. before and after suctioning) post hoc. The acquired numeric scales were combined, and compared before and after suctioning, and calculated how much percentage of patients had improved image quality (i.e. increase in numeric scale), same quality (i.e. same numeric scale), and worsened image quality (i.e. decrease in numeric scale)

Time frame: TEE image sets were acquired after general anesthesia induction (before suctioning) and after 10minutes (after suctioning), and the outcome was the difference in image quality. In 6-8 months, investigator C did the same analysis on the same images.

ArmMeasureGroupValue (COUNT_OF_UNITS)
TEE Image Before and After Suctioning Orogastric TubeImage Quality Assessment Method#1: Difference in Likert Scale Before/After SuctioningImproved after suction83 images
TEE Image Before and After Suctioning Orogastric TubeImage Quality Assessment Method#1: Difference in Likert Scale Before/After SuctioningSame after suction65 images
TEE Image Before and After Suctioning Orogastric TubeImage Quality Assessment Method#1: Difference in Likert Scale Before/After SuctioningWorse after suction2 images
Secondary

Reproducibility of the LV FAC (Inter-observer)

The reproducibility of the LV FAC was assessed, assuming that better image quality would yield better LV FAC reproducibility. Three investigators (A, B, and C) assessed the quality of all TEE image sets (i.e. before and after suctioning) post hoc. These image sets are combined and assessment was done for each group (i.e. before and after suctioning)

Time frame: Images were acquired after general anesthesia induction (before suctioning) and after 10minutes (after suctioning images).

Population: Inter-observer intraclass correlation coefficients of LV FAC before and after suctioning.

ArmMeasureGroupValue (NUMBER)
TEE Image Before and After Suctioning Orogastric TubeReproducibility of the LV FAC (Inter-observer)Intraclass correlation coefficients of LV FAC before suctioning0.94 correlation coefficient
TEE Image Before and After Suctioning Orogastric TubeReproducibility of the LV FAC (Inter-observer)Intraclass correlation coefficients of LV FAC after suctioning0.99 correlation coefficient
Secondary

Reproducibility of the LV FAC (Intra-observer)

Investigator C analyzed all image sets again in 6-8 months to determine if there was intra-observer variability with the initial assessment of image quality. All investigators were blinded to which images were obtained before or after suctioning.

Time frame: 6-8 months after initial images obtained during surgery.

ArmMeasureGroupValue (NUMBER)
TEE Image Before and After Suctioning Orogastric TubeReproducibility of the LV FAC (Intra-observer)Intraclass correlation coefficients of LV FAC before suctioning0.95 correlation coefficient
TEE Image Before and After Suctioning Orogastric TubeReproducibility of the LV FAC (Intra-observer)Intraclass correlation coefficients of LV FAC after suctioning1.00 correlation coefficient
Secondary

Reproducibility of the RV FAC (Inter-observer)

The reproducibility of the RV FAC was assessed, assuming that better image quality would yield better RV FAC reproducibility. Three investigators (A, B, and C) assessed the quality of all TEE image sets (i.e. before and after suctioning) post hoc.

Time frame: Images were acquired after general anesthesia induction (before suctioning) and after 10minutes (after suctioning).

ArmMeasureGroupValue (NUMBER)
TEE Image Before and After Suctioning Orogastric TubeReproducibility of the RV FAC (Inter-observer)Intraclass correlation coefficients of RV FAC before suctioning0.89 correlation coefficient
TEE Image Before and After Suctioning Orogastric TubeReproducibility of the RV FAC (Inter-observer)Intraclass correlation coefficients of RV FAC after suctioning0.90 correlation coefficient
Secondary

Reproducibility of the RV FAC (Intra-observer)

Investigator C analyzed all image sets again in 6-8 months to determine if there was intra-observer variability with the initial assessment of image quality. All investigators were blinded to which images were obtained before or after suctioning.

Time frame: 6-8 months after initial images obtained during surgery.

ArmMeasureGroupValue (NUMBER)
TEE Image Before and After Suctioning Orogastric TubeReproducibility of the RV FAC (Intra-observer)Intraclass correlation coefficients of RV FAC before suctioning0.88 correlation coefficient
TEE Image Before and After Suctioning Orogastric TubeReproducibility of the RV FAC (Intra-observer)Intraclass correlation coefficients of RV FAC after suctioning0.85 correlation coefficient

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026