Upper Airway Ultrasound Training Requirements

Summary

The applications of point-of-care ultrasonography (POCUS) of the upper airway are growing over the last decade. It's clinical applications include both diagnosis of upper airway pathology as well as pre-intubation airway examination and provision of ultrasound markers of difficult laryngoscopy and/or intubation.

However, it is differentiated from the comprehensive ultrasound examinations traditionally performed by radiologists because it is targeted to answer a specific clinical question in real time. Moreover, ultrasound-guided techniques require knowledge of sonoanatomy and ultrasound operational skills. However, clinicians lack the standardized training that ultrasound technicians and radiologists receive. POCUS training is rarely done in a standardized manner, and even more so, POCUS is rarely conducted under expert's supervision.

The current study investigates the feasibility of upper airway POCUS performed on healthy volunteers by anaesthesia residents using a predefined scanning protocol after attending a structured training course. Assessment of anaesthesia trainees' competence and minimum training requirements were the aim of the study.

Conditions

• Airway Management

Interventions

OTHER

Visualization of the hyoid bone

Visualization of the hyoid bone using POCUS of upper airway (probe positioning: transverse plane). Hyoid bone visualization will be assessed as a binary outcome (yes/no).

OTHER

Visualization of vocal cords

Visualization of the vocal cords through the cricoid cartilage using POCUS of upper airway (probe positioning: transverse plane). Vocal cords visualization will be assessed as a binary outcome (yes/no).

OTHER

Localization of thyrohyoid membrane

Localization of thyrohyoid membrane using POCUS of upper airway (probe positioning: midsagittal plane). Thyrohyoid membrane visualization will be assessed as a binary outcome (yes/no).

OTHER

Visualization of epiglottis and pre-epiglottic space

Visualization of epiglottis and pre-epiglottic space using POCUS of upper airway (probe positioning: midsagittal plane). Epiglottis and pre-epiglottic space visualization will be assessed as a binary outcome (yes/no).

OTHER

Visualization of cricothyroid membrane

Visualization of cricothyroid membrane using POCUS of upper airway (probe positioning: midsagittal plane). Cricothyroid membrane visualization will be assessed as a binary outcome (yes/no).

OTHER

Visualization of thyroid gland

Visualization of thyroid gland using POCUS of upper airway (probe positioning: transverse plane). Thyroid gland visualization will be assessed as a binary outcome (yes/no).

OTHER

Hyoid bone to skin distance

Measurement of hyoid bone to skin distance (mm) using POCUS of upper airway (probe positioning: transverse plane).

OTHER

Anterior commissure to skin distance

Measurement of anterior commissure to skin distance (mm) using POCUS of upper airway (probe positioning: transverse plane).

OTHER

Epiglottis to skin distance

Measurement of epiglottis to skin distance (mm) using POCUS of upper airway (probe positioning: midsagittal plane).

OTHER

Thyroid isthmus to skin distance

Measurement of thyroid isthmus to skin distance (mm) using POCUS of upper airway (probe positioning: transverse plane).

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Ioannina

  lead OTHER

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2021-11-29

Primary Completion

2021-12-06

Completion

2021-12-13

Countries

• Greece

Study Locations