Bleeding from intra-abdominal injuries is a leading cause of traumatic deaths in children. Abdominal CT is the reference standard test for diagnosing intra-abdominal injuries. Compelling reasons exist, however, to both aggressively evaluate injured children for intra-abdominal injuries with CT and to limit abdominal CT evaluation to solely those at non-negligible risk. The focused assessment sonography for trauma (FAST) examination can help focus patient evaluation in just this manner by potentially safely decreasing abdominal CT use in low risk children. This research study is a multicenter, randomized, controlled trial to determine whether use of the FAST examination, a bedside abdominal ultrasound, impacts care in 3,194 hemodynamically stable children with blunt abdominal trauma. The overall objectives of this proposal are 1) to determine the efficacy of using the FAST examination during the initial evaluation of children with blunt abdominal trauma, and 2) to identify factors associated with abdominal CT use in children considered very low risk for IAI after a negative FAST examination. The long-term objective of the research is to determine appropriate evaluation strategies to optimize the care of injured children, leading to improved quality of care and a reduction in morbidity and mortality.
Blunt Trauma to Abdomen, Wounds and Injuries, Abdomen Injury, Abdominal Injury, Abdomen, Acute
Bleeding from intra-abdominal injuries is a leading cause of traumatic deaths in children. Abdominal CT is the reference standard test for diagnosing intra-abdominal injuries. Compelling reasons exist, however, to both aggressively evaluate injured children for intra-abdominal injuries with CT and to limit abdominal CT evaluation to solely those at non-negligible risk. The focused assessment sonography for trauma (FAST) examination can help focus patient evaluation in just this manner by potentially safely decreasing abdominal CT use in low risk children. This research study is a multicenter, randomized, controlled trial to determine whether use of the FAST examination, a bedside abdominal ultrasound, impacts care in 3,194 hemodynamically stable children with blunt abdominal trauma. The overall objectives of this proposal are 1) to determine the efficacy of using the FAST examination during the initial evaluation of children with blunt abdominal trauma, and 2) to identify factors associated with abdominal CT use in children considered very low risk for IAI after a negative FAST examination. The long-term objective of the research is to determine appropriate evaluation strategies to optimize the care of injured children, leading to improved quality of care and a reduction in morbidity and mortality.
A Research Study of Abdominal Ultrasound (FAST) in Children With Blunt Torso Trauma
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University of California, Davis Medical Center, Sacramento, California, United States, 95817
University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Center and Children's Hospital Colorado, Aurora, Colorado, United States, 80045
Emory University Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, Georgia, United States, 30322
Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States, 45229
The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, Ohio, United States, 43205
University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, United States, 75390
Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.
For general information about clinical research, read Learn About Studies.
to 17 Years
ALL
No
James F. Holmes, MD, MPH,
James F Holmes, MD, MPH, PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR, University of California, Davis
Nathan Kuppermann, MD, MPH, PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR, University of California, Davis
2027-04-30