Ultrasonography
Anita Sabzghabaei; Fariba Farahi; Masoud Ghanbari Boroujeni; Hamidreza Hatamabadi
Volume 7, Issue 2 , July 2021, , Pages 97-100
Abstract
Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the effect of an ultrasound training course on the performance of emergency medical technicians (EMTs) in terms of using extended-focused assessment with sonography in trauma (E-FAST) in the pre-hospital setting.Methods: In this quasi-experimental study, ...
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Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the effect of an ultrasound training course on the performance of emergency medical technicians (EMTs) in terms of using extended-focused assessment with sonography in trauma (E-FAST) in the pre-hospital setting.Methods: In this quasi-experimental study, 107 EMTs affiliated to Shahid Beheshti and Kashan Universities of Medical Sciences, were randomly selected. At first, the EMTs were given a pre-test of five images concerning normal and abnormal ultrasound views of thoracic and abdominal cavities. Then, 6 hours of theoretical and practical sessions were done by emergency medicine specialists to teach the EMTs to use ultrasound for the detection of pneumothorax and free fluid. The EMTs were tested again in the form of 18 images post-test as well as a 13-item survey to evaluate their skills in taking correct 10 E-FAST.Results: A total of 107 EMTs with the mean age of 27±15.21 and average of 3.5 years work experience participated in this study. The mean of test score increased from 0.57± 0.19 to 0.81±0.08 (with P < 0.001) out of the total score of 100. In the 4-graded survey, 98% of EMTs obtained good to excellent grades in working with ultrasound machine. Also, 50.5% of EMTs were good in taking Morison’s view and 46.6% and 45.6% had medium grades in pericardial and splenorenal views, respectively. In addition, 22.3% had weak grades in taking pericardial views.Conclusion: The results of the present study showed that the implementation of the training course significantly improved the accuracy of free fluid detection in thoracic and abdominal cavities by EMTs.
Ultrasonography
Majid Zamani; Maliheh Mazaheri; Farhad Heydari; Babak Masoumi
Volume 7, Issue 1 , January 2021, , Pages 17-21
Abstract
Objective: Ultrasonography (US) is not the method of choice for the diagnosis of calcaneal fractures. The aim of this study was to compare the diagnostic accuracy of US with plain radiography in the diagnosis of calcaneus fractures following blunt ankle and foot trauma. Methods: In this cross-sectional ...
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Objective: Ultrasonography (US) is not the method of choice for the diagnosis of calcaneal fractures. The aim of this study was to compare the diagnostic accuracy of US with plain radiography in the diagnosis of calcaneus fractures following blunt ankle and foot trauma. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 214 patients (over 18 years) presenting to the emergency department (ED) with suspicion of traumatic calcaneus fracture following acute blunt trauma, were enrolled. Bedside ultrasonography was performed and interpreted by emergency physicians. After that, plain radiography was performed. Furthermore, all the patients were assessed by computed tomography (CT) scan as the gold standard. Results: Finally, 193 patients were enrolled with a mean age of 29.4±15.7 years (85.5% male). Fractures in the calcaneus were detected in 49 patients. The sensitivity and specificity of ultrasonography in the detection of calcaneal fractures were 83.6%, (confidence interval (CI), 69.7 –92.2) and 100% (95% CI, 96.7 –100), while the sensitivity and specificity of X-ray were 87.7% (95% CI, 74.5 –94.9) and 100% (95% CI, 96.7 –100). There was no false positive result for X-ray and US. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that bedside US with an acceptable sensitivity and specificity can be used as a promising alternative for the diagnosis of calcaneal fracture in ED.
Ultrasonography
Pir-Hossein Kolivand; Peyman Saberian; Mostafa Sadeghi; Maryam Modabber; Parisa Hasani-Sharamin
Volume 6, Issue 2 , July 2020, , Pages 92-97
Abstract
Objective: The current study was performed to provide real-time bedside ultrasonography for emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and assess the advantages and disadvantages of its application in dealing with trauma patients in pre-hospital setting from their viewpoints.Methods: This semi-experimental ...
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Objective: The current study was performed to provide real-time bedside ultrasonography for emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and assess the advantages and disadvantages of its application in dealing with trauma patients in pre-hospital setting from their viewpoints.Methods: This semi-experimental study was conducted in Tehran, Iran. Twenty EMTs were selected purposefully and underwent a training program. Thereafter, they were asked to perform extended focused assessment with sonography in trauma (eFAST) using a handheld ultrasound device on trauma patients, and also filled a questionnaire prepared (in four components including C1: coherence, C2: cognitive participation, C3: collective action, and C4: reflexive monitoring) based on the normalization process theory (NPT).Results: All 20 participants were men and their average age was 37.8 years (SD = 4.7). For C1, the median total score was 10.5 out of a score of 4-20; For C2, the median score was 6 out of 3-15; For C3, the median total score was 18 out of a score of 6-30; and for C4, the median total score was 11 out of a score of 5-25.Conclusion: Overall, it seems that EMTs welcomed using ultrasonography in dealing with trauma patients in pre-hospital setting. Although they thought that it might somewhat lead to an increase in their workload; but they believed that sufficient training was not provided for them yet. The EMTs were uncertain about the viewpoints of the patients and did not know how it could affect patients’ outcome.
Trauma
Farhad Heydari; Shiva Samsam Shariat; Saeed Majidinejad; Babak Masoumi
Volume 4, Issue 1 , January 2018, , Pages 24-28
Abstract
Objective: The aim of this study was to use ultrasonography for the diagnosis and confirmation of Pulled Elbow treatment.Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study initiated in 2014 and continued until 2015. We used simple sampling method and recruited 60 samples among patients aged 4 months to ...
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Objective: The aim of this study was to use ultrasonography for the diagnosis and confirmation of Pulled Elbow treatment.Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study initiated in 2014 and continued until 2015. We used simple sampling method and recruited 60 samples among patients aged 4 months to 6 years. The apparatus used in this study was an ultrasonogram with transducer 12 MHz probe. Ultrasound evaluation of both hands was undertaken and after reduction, the physical examination was performed to confirm the diagnosis made by ultrasonography. Then, the results were recorded by a physician in a checklist and entered into SPSS software (version 20) for further analysis.Results: In this study, 60 children with pulled elbow injuries were studied. Of these, 27 patients (45%) were girls (female) and 33 (55%) were boys (male). This indicates the higher incidence of injury among males than females. The highest incidence of pulled elbow injury was observed in children aged 3 (15%). The accuracy of ultrasonography method for the confirmation of treatment was reported to be 92%.Conclusion: This study aimed to confirm the considered therapeutic method based on the result of ultrasonography performed after the treatment. Accordingly, the sensitivity and specificity of ultrasonography in confirming the considered therapeutic method for the treatment of pulled elbow was obtained higher than 90%.