The Use of the FAST (Focused Abdominal Scan for Trauma) Scan by Paramedics in Mass Casualty Incidents

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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Initially a group of paramedics will be trained to perform FAST (Focused Abdominal Scan for Trauma) scans. The paramedics will then enter a simulated mass causality incident and triage patients. Volunteers in the study will include peritoneal dialysis patients (non stable) and non-peritoneal dialysis patients (stable). They will use the ultrasound to perform FAST scans on the patients to determine which subjects are stable and which are unstable patients. They will record which patients they consider need transport first. This data will be used to evaluate accuracy and speed of the FAST scan. When the paramedic identifies free fluid within the volunteer, they will be able to make the decision to upgrade these patients and ultimately transport them more quickly. The paramedics will be evaluated for time and accuracy with the FAST scan.

Detailed Description
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Ultrasound and the FAST (Focused Abdominal Scan for Trauma) scan is currently being used in the Emergency Department to help evaluate trauma patients. In the field a paramedic will use the START (Simple Triage Rapid Treatment) triage procedure to evaluate many patients and to help decide which patients are more critical and therefore need to be transported first. This study aims to create a mass casualty environment through the use of 10 volunteers who are on peritoneal dialysis and 10 patients who are not.

Official Title
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The Use of the FAST Scan by Paramedics in Mass Casualty Incidents

Conditions
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Mass Casualty

Intervention / Treatment
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* Procedure: SonoSite Ultrasound
* Procedure: SonoSite Ultrasound


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Paramedic - at least one year in the field, physically able to perform the test Patients: (10)peritoneal dialysis patient that are able to leave dialysate in abdominal cavity for the duration of the test (10) subjects not on peritoneal dialysis who are available for the duration of the test Exclusion Criteria: Under 18 years of age

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years
Maximum Age: 90 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Health Services Research
Allocation: Non-Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Single


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Active Comparator: Non peritoneal dialysis patient<br> | Procedure: SonoSite Ultrasound<br>* Will be moulaged to resemble a peritoneal dialysis patient. Paramedics will scan the abdomen and determine it there's fluid within.<br>|
| Active Comparator: Peritoneal dialysis patient<br> | Procedure: SonoSite Ultrasound<br>* Paramedics will scan the abdomen and determine it there's fluid within.<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| To evaluate the use of the ultra sound and FAST scans in a simulation of a mass causality incident by paramedics for accuracy and speed |  | up to 1 year |