Weimer, Johannes and Chrissostomou, Christopher David and Jonck, Christopher and Weimer, Andreas Michael and Ille, Carlotta and Mueller, Lukas and Lorenz, Liv Annebritt and Staeuber, Marie and Vieth, Thomas and Buggenhagen, Holger and Weinmann-Menke, Julia and Rink, Maximilian and Kuenzel, Julian (2025) Paramedics Performed Sonographic Identification of the Conic Ligament-A Prospective Controlled Trial. DIAGNOSTICS, 15 (10): 1296. ISSN , 2075-4418
Full text not available from this repository. (Request a copy)Abstract
Background/Objectives: Acute obstructions of the upper respiratory tract are emergencies that may require a cricothyrotomy as ultima ratio. For this, precise identification of the conic ligament is essential. Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) offers a reliable tool for anatomical localization in challenging cases and could be used by a range of emergency medicine workers. This prospective, controlled observational study assesses the development of competencies of paramedics (PMs) in point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) assisted identification of the conic ligament after structured training, and compares their competence level to emergency physicians (EPs). Methods: PMs and a control group of EPs received an identical structured training program as part of an ultrasound course. It included a 10-min theoretical introduction, a 10-min video, and a 45-min practical session with ultrasound devices. Questionnaires and a practical test assessed both group's previous experiences, satisfaction with training, and the development of subjective and objective competencies before (T1) and after (T2) the training. Results: A total of 120 participants (N = 92 PMs and N = 28 EPs) participated. A minority had previously performed a cricothyrotomy even in training settings (PMs 17%; EPs 11%), and none had identified the conic ligament using POCUS. The study group's subjective and objective competencies increased significantly (p < 0.001). At T2, the study group demonstrated comparable subjective (p = 0.22) and objective (p = 0.81) competencies to those of the control group. The study group needed significantly (p < 0.01) less time to perform the DOPS. While both groups were satisfied with the study material (PMs 2.2 +/- 1.2 vs. Eps 1.6 +/- 1.0; p = 0.02) and the training (PMs 1.8 +/- 1.0 vs. EPs 1.4 +/- 0.7, p = 0.03), the study group rated both significantly better. Conclusions: After structured training, paramedics successfully identified the conic ligament using POCUS comparably to emergency physicians. Integrating POCUS into paramedic training may improve prehospital airway management and enhance patient safety. Further studies should investigate long-term skill retention and real-life application.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | OF-CARE ULTRASOUND; CRICOTHYROID MEMBRANE; GUIDED IDENTIFICATION; ULTRASONOGRAPHY; ENVIRONMENT; MANAGEMENT; paramedics; airway management; ultrasound training; cricothyrotomy; ligamentum conicum; conic ligament; education; ultrasound-guided interventions; direct observation of procedural skills |
| Subjects: | 600 Technology > 610 Medical sciences Medicine |
| Divisions: | Medicine > Lehrstuhl für Hals-Nasen-Ohren-Heilkunde |
| Depositing User: | Dr. Gernot Deinzer |
| Date Deposited: | 23 Apr 2026 09:57 |
| Last Modified: | 23 Apr 2026 09:57 |
| URI: | https://pred.uni-regensburg.de/id/eprint/67581 |
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