Using ultrasound to check pulses in cardiac arrest patients
Femoral Artery Ultrasound With Compressibility Assessment as a Method for Pulse Checks in Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest: A Prospective Exploratory Study.
This study tests if using portable ultrasound can help emergency responders check for a pulse in cardiac arrest patients more accurately than traditional methods.
Quick facts
| Study type | Observational |
|---|---|
| Enrollment | 69 (estimated) |
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | Medical University of Vienna Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Vienna) |
| Trial ID | NCT06491186 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
This observational study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of B-mode point-of-care ultrasound for assessing pulse presence in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients. A dedicated research team will utilize portable ultrasound devices to examine the femoral artery while emergency medical services (EMS) provide standard care. The ultrasound checks will occur alongside manual pulse assessments, ensuring that they do not interfere with ongoing resuscitation efforts. The study will focus on comparing the accuracy of ultrasound pulse detection with traditional methods in a real-world emergency setting.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Ideal candidates are adults aged 18 and older experiencing out-of-hospital cardiac arrest treated by EMS.
Not a fit: Patients who are pregnant, under legal guardianship, or have conditions preventing safe ultrasound access will not benefit from this study.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could enhance the accuracy of pulse detection in cardiac arrest situations, potentially improving patient outcomes.
How similar studies have performed: While the use of ultrasound in emergency settings is gaining traction, this specific approach to pulse assessment in cardiac arrest is relatively novel and has not been extensively tested in prior studies.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
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
Where this trial is running
Vienna
- Emergency Medical Service of Vienna — Vienna, Austria (Recruiting)
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Philipp Metelka, MD — Medical University of Vienna
- Study coordinator: Philipp Metelka, MD
- Email: philipp.metelka@meduniwien.ac.at
- Phone: +43 699 10659528
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.