Can newly trained clinicians use bedside lung ultrasound to detect a collapsed lung after heart surgery?
Official title: The CLEAR Vanguard Feasibility Study: Comparative Evaluation of Novice-Performed Lung Ultrasound Versus Chest X-Ray for Pneumothorax Detection Post-Chest Tube Removal in Cardiac Surgery Patients
Run by Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre · NCT07018856 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study will test whether medical trainees can use a bedside lung ultrasound to find a collapsed lung in adults after heart surgery.
Quick facts
| Study type | Observational |
|---|---|
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 120 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre Academic / other |
| Drugs / interventions | radiation |
| Locations | 1 site (Toronto, Ontario) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | September 16, 2025 |
| Main results expected | September 2026 |
| Study ends | February 2027 |
| Registry record updated | December 24, 2025 |
| Trial ID | NCT07018856 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Adults (18+) recovering from cardiac surgery who are scheduled for chest tube removal in the participating cardiovascular intensive care units and who can undergo bedside ultrasound and chest X-ray.
✕Probably not a fit
Patients with severe chronic lung disease (eg, significant COPD or interstitial lung disease with poor lung function), subcutaneous emphysema, those already mechanically ventilated, or those too unstable for imaging may not benefit from this approach.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
In this feasibility study, medical trainees receive focused training in lung ultrasound and then perform bedside exams within two hours after chest tube removal. Their ultrasound findings will be compared to routine chest X-rays and reviewed by blinded expert clinicians. The study will enroll about 120 adults across three Ontario hospitals and will track protocol adherence, diagnostic accuracy, and patient experience. Results will inform whether a larger trial is warranted.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could receive faster, bedside, radiation-free checks for pneumothorax that may speed treatment and reduce routine chest X-rays.
How similar studies have gone: Prior research shows lung ultrasound is sensitive for detecting pneumothorax when used by experienced clinicians, but novice-performed lung ultrasound in the immediate post-cardiac surgery setting is less well studied and needs confirmation.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Age 18 years or older * Undergoing cardiac surgery * Scheduled for chest and/or mediastinal chest tube removal in the cardiovascular intensive care unit (CVICU) Exclusion Criteria: * Severe chronic lung disease that may impair lung ultrasound interpretation, including: * Subcutaneous emphysema * COPD or emphysema with FEV₁ \< 50% predicted * Interstitial lung disease with FEV₁ \< 75% predicted * Documented history of pneumothorax prior to chest tube removal requiring intervention * Mechanical ventilation at the time of eligibility screening * Inability to undergo lung ultrasound or chest X-ray (e.g., due to hemodynamic instability or positioning limitations)
Where it's running
-
Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
Toronto, Ontario, Canada Recruiting
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Jacobo Moreno Garijo, MD, PhD
- Email: jacobo.morenogarijo@sunnybrook.ca
- Phone: 416-480-4864
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How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.