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Pulse Checks Using Femoral Artery B-Mode Ultrasound With Compressibility Assessment

Recruiting
Conditions
Cardiac Arrest, Out-Of-Hospital
Interventions
Other: Point of Care Ultrasound
Registration Number
NCT06491186
Lead Sponsor
Medical University of Vienna
Brief Summary

The goal of this prospective observational study is to investigate B-mode point-of care ultrasound with arterial compressibility assessment on the femoral artery as a method to determine the presence of a pulse and to compare it with concurrently conducted manual pulse checks.

Detailed Description

In this prospective observational study, a dedicated research team will be dispatched to cardiac arrest patients treated in the prehospital environment by emergency medical services (EMS). The team will use a portable ultrasound device to identify the femoral artery and employ B-mode ultrasound during rhythm checks. These ultrasound pulse checks will be conducted in parallel with the normal treatment of the patient, including manual pulse checks, and will only be conducted if ultrasound is possible without interference in the resuscitation. All treatment decisions will rest with the treating EMS team.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
RECRUITING
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
69
Inclusion Criteria
  • Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest treated by EMS
  • Minimum age of 18 years
Exclusion Criteria
  • Pregnancy or suspected pregnancy
  • Disapproval of the treating EMS team
  • Adults under legal guardianship
  • Inability to perform femoral artery doppler ultrasound due to limited access to the patient and possible interference with the treating EMS team
  • Inability to perform femoral artery doppler ultrasound due to injuries or anatomic abnormalities in the femoral region or necessary emergent medical interventions in the femoral region
  • Decision to transfer the patient to the hospital with ongoing CPR for emergent procedures such as extracorporeal CPR before femoral artery doppler ultrasound could be attempted
  • Inability to safely perform femoral artery doppler ultrasound due to environmental hazards

Study & Design

Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Study Design
Not specified
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
Included patientsPoint of Care Ultrasound-
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Results of the concurrently conducted manual pulse checkDuring cardiac arrest, up to 45 minutes

Parallel to our study team the treating team will conduct standard care, consisting of determining the presence or absence of a pulse by palpation. The results of these manual pulse checks will be recorded by our study team.

Results of POCUS pulse checkDuring cardiac arrest, up to 45 minutes

If the femoral artery is both non-compressible and pulsatile, the POCUS pulse check will be considered positive

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Arterial compressibility during rhythm checksDuring cardiac arrest, up to 45 minutes

The compressibility of the femoral artery during rhythm checks (part of the "POCUS pulse check" primary outcome) will be recorded and analysed, independently of pulsatility

Arterial pulsatility during rhythm checksDuring cardiac arrest, up to 45 minutes

The pulsatility of the femoral artery during rhythm checks (part of the "POCUS pulse check" primary outcome) will be recorded and analysed, independently of compressibility

Arterial compressibility during chest compressionsDuring cardiac arrest, up to 45 minutes

Before each pulse check, during the last 30 seconds of cardiac compressions, the research team will apply pressure with the ultrasound probe until complete collapse of the femoral vein and visually assess if the neighbouring femoral is compressible as well.

Time needed for POCUS pulse checksDuring cardiac arrest, up to 45 minutes

The POCUS pulse checks will be recorded and the time until presence or absence of a pulse could be determined will be recorded in seconds

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Emergency Medical Service of Vienna

🇦🇹

Vienna, Austria

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