Jugular Venous Flow Healthy Volunteers

University Health Network, Toronto

Status: Completed

Conditions: Jugular Venous Blood Flow

Treatments: Other: Different positions

Study type: Observational

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT02002494

13-6244-BE

Details and patient eligibility

About

Our hypothesis is that there will be a decrease in internal jugular venous flow in the park bench position when compared to the supine position. There will also be a change in blood flow in the between right and left internal jugular veins in park bench position, particularly there will be a greater reduction of flow on the dependent side. However, the internal jugular venous flow will be the same in both the prone and supine position.

Full description

The different positions used in neurosurgery (park bench, prone) for better accessibility to the operating field can impact on the cerebral venous drainage due to the effects of internal jugular venous outflow of blood and may increase intracranial pressure. The kinking of the internal jugular vein due to excessive neck flexion and rotation in park bench or flexion in the prone position may lead to kinking or twisting of the vein. This has been hypothesized as the major cause of disturbed venous drainage during surgery and in postoperative patients may lead to neck swelling, brachial plexus injury, macroglossia (swollen tongue), delayed airway obstruction and increases in intracranial pressure.

Optimal brain perfusion is best in the neutral position of the head, but surgery cannot always be performed with this. Thus, we look to measure the internal jugular venous flow at different positions as there have been little studies looking at this important contributing factor.

Enrollment: 27 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Adult healthy volunteers who are above the age of 18
• American Society of Anesthesiologists classification (ASA) 1
• Body mass index (BMI) less than and equal to 35

Exclusion criteria

• ASA 2 and above
• BMI above 35
• Lack of informed consent
• Language barrier
• Medical students and anaesthesia residents going through the department as part of their rotation

Trial design

27 participants in 1 patient group

volunteers in different positions

Description:

The following will be compared in the same volunteer: * Bilateral internal jugular venous flow in supine and prone position * Bilateral internal jugular venous flow in supine and park bench position * Bilateral internal jugular venous flow in prone and park bench

Treatment:

Other: Different positions