Trial on the Effects of Ultrasound Probe Position on Ultrasound-guided Nerve Blocks

NCT ID: NCT01690156

Last Updated: 2024-01-10

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: TERMINATED
• Total Enrollment: 62 participants
• Study Classification: OBSERVATIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2012-08-31
• Study Completion Date: 2013-02-28

Brief Summary

Ultrasound has been used to guide a needle to inject local anesthetics around nerves. This is usually done in the same plane as the ultrasound beam in America and is known as an in-plane technique. When done correctly, the entire needle is visualized on the ultrasound screen as it approaches the nerves which are also seen on the same screen the entire time. The ultrasound probe can be held perpendicular or parallel to the shoulders of the person performing the in-plane technique. Our hypothesis is that holding the ultrasound probe perpendicular to the shoulder is superior to holding the probe parallel to the shoulder during an in-plane ultrasound guided regional anesthesia technique.

Detailed Description

Right handed volunteers with no prior exposure to ultrasound techniques are used in this study. They will be randomly assigned to be shown an instructional video on how to perform an in-plane ultrasound guided needling technique on a realistic simulation target. The two videos are identical with the exception of the probe position. A blinded assessor will time the volunteers performance behind a screen and note the duration in which the needle is not visualized in the ultrasound screen.

Conditions

In-plane Ultrasound-guided Regional Anesthesia Performance

Study Design

• Observational Model Type: CASE_CONTROL
• Study Time Perspective: PROSPECTIVE

Study Groups

Parallel Probe Position

Performing the simulated interscalene block with the ultrasound probe parallel to the shoulders of the person performing the block

No interventions assigned to this group

Perpendicular Probe Position

Performing the simulated interscalene block with the ultrasound probe perpendicular to the shoulders of the person performing the block

No interventions assigned to this group

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Healthy volunteers
• Right handed
• Aged 18 to 55

Exclusion Criteria

• Any person who has prior knowledge about ultrasound imaging or regional anesthesia
• Any person who has prior experience with laparoscopy or biopsy
• Any person who has problems with depth of field or simple hand eye co-ordination task

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 55 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Sponsors

University of New Mexico

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Responsibility Role: SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

Nicholas C Lam, MD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

University of New Mexico

Locations

University of New Mexico

Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States

Countries

United States

Other Identifiers

Probeposition

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id