Emergency Department Ultrasound in Renal Colic

Queen's University

Status: Completed

Conditions: Hydronephrosis; Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm; Renal Colic

Treatments: Procedure: EDTU

Study type: Observational

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT01323842

Hydro II

Details and patient eligibility

About

Renal colic is a common (1300 visits per year at our institution) and painful condition caused by stones in the kidney and ureter, and can be mimicked by life threatening conditions such as a ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). This can create clinical uncertainty. Emergency department targeted ultrasound (EDTU) is performed by an emergency physician at the patient's bedside, and has been shown to be accurate, safe, and efficient. We have shown that EDTU can accurately identify hydronephrosis, which is a predictor of complications of kidney stones. A normal formal ultrasound (US) predicts an uncomplicated clinical course. We will assess the accuracy of EDTU for the diagnosis of hydronephrosis, and when normal, whether patients can be safely discharged.

Enrollment: 414 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 16 to 65 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Age 16 - 65 years
• Symptoms suggestive of renal colic
• EDTU performed within one hour (before or after) of formal imaging
• Imaging study arranged during this ED visit (includes next morning)

Exclusion criteria

• Hemodynamic instability (Pulse > 120 or SBP < 90 or requiring vasopressors)
• Fever (>38 degrees C)
• Leukocytes and nitrites on dipstick urinalysis (evidence of urinary tract infection)
• Pregnancy
• Inmate
• Renal transplant or single functioning kidney

Trial design

414 participants in 1 patient group

rule in renal colic

Description:

ED patients with abdominal/flank pain where a diagnosis of renal colic is being considered and undergoing formal imaging while in the ED

Treatment:

Procedure: EDTU