Accuracy of Ultrasound Identifying Femoral Deep Vein Thrombosis by Anesthesia Trainees after a Brief Training Program

Abstract

Background: Deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism pose significant risks for morbidity and mortality, and while clinical diagnosis, D-dimer tests, and Computerized tomogram venography are commonly used, they each have their own drawbacks. The use of bedside ultrasound conducted by non-radiologists is emerging as a promising approach for diagnosis, offering effectiveness with varying levels of training required.

Aims: The study seeks to determine the impact of a brief, focused educational module on the proficiency of anesthesia trainees in using ultrasound for the detection of femoral Deep vein thrombosis through compression method.

Methods: This observational comparative study took place at a tertiary teaching hospital between August 1st and December 1st, 2023. It involved 70 patients who were bedridden for a minimum of three days across different hospital departments. The screening, which focused on the femoral veins, was conducted by three anesthesia trainees who had undergone a short training course. Their findings were then compared with those of an expert.

Results: Nine cases of femoral deep venous thrombosis were accurately detected by the three study operators using compression ultrasonography, consistent with the findings of the reference operator. In two instances, patients with a negative finding exhibited reduced venous compression as identified by one or more study operators. The sensitivity and specificity of the trainees were found to be 100% and 98%, respectively.

Conclusion: Short, focused educational module sufficiently is adequate to enhance the proficiency of anesthesia trainees in using ultrasound for the detection of femoral deep vein thrombosis through the compression method, leading to high accuracy and comparative performance.