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Position and Angle Marking System (PAMS) for Ultrasound-guided Neuraxial Procedures

4 de agosto de 2026 actualizado por: Sng Ban Leong, KK Women's and Children's Hospital

Epidural anaesthesia involves the administration of numbing medication (local anaesthetics) close to the spinal canal, and is regarded as the best method for providing pain relief during labour and childbirth. The use of ultrasound to guide epidural insertion and placement has been shown to improve pain relief and reduce the risk of complications.

However, after identifying the desired needle insertion site via ultrasound, current practice involves demarcating the insertion site using marker pens, which is time-consuming, inaccurate, and may be inadvertently removed by skin sterilisation. Furthermore, the desired needle angulation determined by ultrasound cannot be accurately measured and maintained during the epidural procedure. Both issues limit the benefits of using ultrasound to guide the epidural procedure.

To address these issues, the investigators developed a Position and Angular Marking System (PAMS) that attaches on to the ultrasound probe. When the desired insertion site is identified by ultrasound, the doctor gently presses PAMS into the patient's back to create skin indentations demarcating the needle insertion point. These indentations are not affected by skin sterilisation, and may improve accuracy and reduce the time taken to perform the epidural procedure. Next, the angle between the ultrasound probe and the patient's back can be measured using PAMS, and this angle can be maintained using a needle guide during the epidural procedure.

The purpose of this randomised study is to evaluate the usability of PAMS and to identify areas for further improvement.

This study will involve up to 10 healthy simulated patients, and up to 30 volunteer ultrasound operators. After undergoing a standardised training session with a mannequin, the ultrasound operators will be randomly assigned to perform skin marking on the simulated patients as though they are performing an ultrasound-guided epidural anaesthesia procedure (no needle puncture will be made) using either PAMS, or standard clinical practice with marker pens. After completing the procedure, the ultrasound operators will cross over and perform the procedure again using either PAMS or standard clinical practice with marker pens.

Both the ultrasound operators and simulated patients will be asked to complete satisfaction and usability surveys regarding their experience with the procedures.

Descripción general del estudio

Descripción detallada

The volunteer ultrasound operators are women's anaesthesiologists trained in the use of ultrasound-guided neuraxial procedures.

Simulated patients are healthy volunteers from other departments, without spine abnormalities.

The ultrasound operators will be asked to complete a questionnaire regarding your prior experience with neuraxial ultrasonography and undergo structured training on the use of PAMS using a mannequin. Next, they will be asked to perform the following two procedures (the order at which they will perform the procedures will be randomised):

  1. Ultrasound scan using PAMS

    • After attaching PAMS to the ultrasound probe, they will perform a lumbar ultrasound scan on a simulated patient to identify the desired needle insertion site and gently press PAMS into the simulated patient's back to create skin indentations demarcating the desired needle insertion site.
    • Next, adjust the angulation of the ultrasound probe to optimise the image of the simulated patient's lumbar spine, and read the angle between the ultrasound probe and patient's back off a graduated scale.
    • Remove the ultrasound probe, and position the needle-insertion guide corresponding to the skin indentations. Needle angulation can be simulated by mounting a blunt needle on to the insertion guide.
    • Finally, they will be asked to complete a usability questionnaire.
  2. Ultrasound scan without PAMS (standard clinical practice)

    • Perform a lumbar ultrasound scan to identify the desired needle insertion site, followed by demarcation using skin markers.
    • Next, adjust the angulation of the ultrasound probe to optimise the image of the simulated patient's lumbar spine.
    • Remove the ultrasound probe and simulate needle insertion by touching the tip of a blunt needle to the patient's back, at the desired angle.
    • Finally, they will then be asked to complete a usability questionnaire.

Both procedures are non-invasive (i.e. no skin punctures will be made). No follow up is required for this study.

No new research medications are involved in this study.

Additionally, video recordings may be made of the procedures. Any video or ultrasound images obtained during the course of this study will be stored and analysed only for the purposes of this study for a period not exceeding 7 years, and will be destroyed after completion of the study. Technical data such as the scanning duration and success rate will also be documented.

Tipo de estudio

Intervencionista

Inscripción (Estimado)

30

Fase

  • No aplica

Contactos y Ubicaciones

Esta sección proporciona los datos de contacto de quienes realizan el estudio e información sobre dónde se lleva a cabo este estudio.

Ubicaciones de estudio

      • Singapore, Singapur, 128038
        • KK Women's and Children's Hospital

Criterios de participación

Los investigadores buscan personas que se ajusten a una determinada descripción, denominada criterio de elegibilidad. Algunos ejemplos de estos criterios son el estado de salud general de una persona o tratamientos previos.

Criterio de elegibilidad

Edades elegibles para estudiar

18 años y mayores (Adulto, Adulto Mayor)

Acepta Voluntarios Saludables

Sí

Descripción

Ultrasound operators

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Anaesthesiologists
  • Trained in the use of ultrasound-guided neuraxial procedures

Exclusion Criteria:

  • No experience with ultrasound-guided neuraxial procedures

Simulated patients

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Healthy, no significant medical comorbidity (American Society of Anesthesiologists Physical Status I or II)
  • No spinal abnormalities, or previous spinal surgery

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Significant spinal abnormality
  • Previous spinal surgery

Plan de estudios

Esta sección proporciona detalles del plan de estudio, incluido cómo está diseñado el estudio y qué mide el estudio.

¿Cómo está diseñado el estudio?

Detalles de diseño

  • Propósito principal: Tratamiento
  • Asignación: Aleatorizado
  • Modelo Intervencionista: Asignación cruzada
  • Enmascaramiento: Ninguno (etiqueta abierta)

Armas e Intervenciones

Grupo de participantes/brazo
Intervención / Tratamiento
Comparador activo: Standard clinical practice
  • Lumbar ultrasound scan will be performed to identify the desired needle insertion site, followed by demarcation using skin markers.
  • The angulation of the ultrasound probe will be adjusted to optimise the image of the simulated patient's lumbar spine.
  • The ultrasound probe will be removed and needle insertion simulated by touching the tip of a blunt needle to the patient's back, at the desired angle.
  • A usability questionnaire regarding the procedure will be completed.
When the desired insertion site is identified by ultrasound, the doctor demarcate the needle insertion point using marker pens.
Experimental: Position and Angle Marking System (PAMS)
  • PAMS will be attached to the ultrasound probe.
  • Lumbar ultrasound scan will be performed to identify the desired needle insertion site, followed by demarcation by gentle pressing PAMS into the simulated patient's back to create skin indentations.
  • The angulation of the ultrasound probe will be adjusted to optimise the image of the simulated patient's lumbar spine, and the angle read off a graduated scale.
  • The ultrasound probe will be removed and needle insertion simulated by touching the tip of a blunt needle to the patient's back, at the desired angle.
  • A usability questionnaire regarding the procedure will be completed.
Position and Angular Marking System (PAMS) attaches on to the ultrasound probe. When the desired insertion site is identified by ultrasound, the doctor gently presses PAMS into the patient's back to create skin indentations demarcating the needle insertion point. These indentations are not affected by skin sterilisation, and may improve accuracy and reduce the time taken to perform the epidural procedure. Next, the angle between the ultrasound probe and the patient's back can be measured using PAMS, and this angle can be maintained using a needle guide during the epidural procedure.
Otros nombres:
  • PAMS

¿Qué mide el estudio?

Medidas de resultado primarias

Medida de resultado
Medida Descripción
Periodo de tiempo
Satisfaction survey of simulated patients and operators
Periodo de tiempo: Immediately after performing the procedure
Satisfaction and feedback regarding the respective procedures
Immediately after performing the procedure

Medidas de resultado secundarias

Medida de resultado
Medida Descripción
Periodo de tiempo
Time taken to perform procedure
Periodo de tiempo: Immediately after performing the procedure
Comparison of time taken to perform the interventional procedure (PAMS), versus standard clinical practice (control)
Immediately after performing the procedure

Colaboradores e Investigadores

Aquí es donde encontrará personas y organizaciones involucradas en este estudio.

Publicaciones y enlaces útiles

La persona responsable de ingresar información sobre el estudio proporciona voluntariamente estas publicaciones. Estos pueden ser sobre cualquier cosa relacionada con el estudio.

Fechas de registro del estudio

Estas fechas rastrean el progreso del registro del estudio y los envíos de resultados resumidos a ClinicalTrials.gov. Los registros del estudio y los resultados informados son revisados ​​por la Biblioteca Nacional de Medicina (NLM) para asegurarse de que cumplan con los estándares de control de calidad específicos antes de publicarlos en el sitio web público.

Fechas importantes del estudio

Inicio del estudio (Actual)

7 de septiembre de 2021

Finalización primaria (Estimado)

31 de diciembre de 2026

Finalización del estudio (Estimado)

31 de diciembre de 2027

Fechas de registro del estudio

Enviado por primera vez

5 de julio de 2021

Primero enviado que cumplió con los criterios de control de calidad

30 de julio de 2021

Publicado por primera vez (Actual)

2 de agosto de 2021

Actualizaciones de registros de estudio

Última actualización publicada (Actual)

7 de agosto de 2026

Última actualización enviada que cumplió con los criterios de control de calidad

4 de agosto de 2026

Última verificación

1 de agosto de 2026

Más información

Términos relacionados con este estudio

Plan de datos de participantes individuales (IPD)

¿Planea compartir datos de participantes individuales (IPD)?

NO

Información sobre medicamentos y dispositivos, documentos del estudio

Estudia un producto farmacéutico regulado por la FDA de EE. UU.

No

Estudia un producto de dispositivo regulado por la FDA de EE. UU.

No

producto fabricado y exportado desde los EE. UU.

No

Esta información se obtuvo directamente del sitio web clinicaltrials.gov sin cambios. Si tiene alguna solicitud para cambiar, eliminar o actualizar los detalles de su estudio, comuníquese con register@clinicaltrials.gov. Tan pronto como se implemente un cambio en clinicaltrials.gov, también se actualizará automáticamente en nuestro sitio web. .

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