Comparing a Horizontal Ultrasound Technique With a Palpation Technique for Localising the Cricothyroid Membrane (CTM)

University of British Columbia

Status: Completed

Conditions: Airway Identification

Treatments: Other: ultrasound

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT02271763

H14-01177

CW14-0188 (Other Identifier)

Details and patient eligibility

About

The investigators will be comparing a traditional palpation (feeling) technique with an ultrasound technique for finding a specific part of the neck.

Full description

This study compares a traditional palpation (feeling) technique with an ultrasound technique for finding a specific part of the neck. Finding this part of the neck is important for anesthesiologists in emergencies and can sometimes be difficult. We would like to determine if using ultrasound is easier and more reliable than examining the neck by hand. Newer methods using ultrasound have not been studied in detail in the pregnant population.

This study aims to describe a simple technique for identifying the cricothyroid membrane. The secondary aim is to determine how ultrasound compares to palpation in pregnant women at term.

Enrollment: 37 patients

Sex: Female

Ages: 19+ years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• term pregnancy
• 19yrs and older

Exclusion criteria

• preterm pregnancy

Trial design

37 participants in 2 patient groups

Palpating neck

Active Comparator group

Description:

Subjects will have their neck palpated by an anesthesiologist to locate their cricothyroid membrane

Treatment:

Other: ultrasound

Ultrasound neck

Experimental group

Description:

Subjects will have their neck scanned with ultrasound by an anesthesiologist to locate their cricothyroid membrane

Treatment:

Other: ultrasound