Ultrasound vs Palpation for Infant Lumbar Puncture

Spinal; Puncture, Complications Clinical Trial

Official title:

Sonographic Visualization vs Palpation Technique for Infant Lumbar Puncture

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Completed

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT02373774
• Other study ID #: AAAO3705
• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: July 2015
• Est. completion date: July 2016

Study information

• Verified date: October 2023
• Source: Columbia University
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

The purpose of this study is to determine if performing an ultrasound to identify the space to insert the needle before performing a lumbar puncture will improve success of the procedure and patient safety.

Description:

The investigators are conducting a single-center, prospective two-arm parallel group randomized clinical trial in an urban pediatric emergency department to determine if performing an ultrasound prior to lumbar puncture procedure improves success of the procedure.

Patients will be block-randomized into two groups to receive procedural interspace selection via 1) standard anatomic palpation technique or 2) visualization with pre-procedural ultrasound (experimental group).

1. Standard Anatomic Palpation Technique:

Participants randomized to this group will receive standard of care treatment with providers using the palpation technique to select an interspace. As variations on the palpation technique exist, the investigators will provide a standardized educational cognitive aid that clinicians can use for this approach.

2. Pre-Procedural Ultrasound:

Clinicians will first use the standard palpation technique to select an interspace for ultrasound evaluation. A select group of pediatric emergency medicine attendings and fellows who have already trained to a mastery standard with the ultrasound protocol will then conduct the pre-procedural ultrasound. The clinicians performing the lumbar puncture will be provided the following information to conduct the lumbar puncture:

i. Assessment for fluid at the level selected (and the number of interspaces above that have fluid without conus present)

ii. Measurements of appropriate angle and depth

iii. Evaluation of any overlying vasculature

Post-Lumbar Puncture:

After the lumbar puncture, infants randomized to both groups will receive a post-procedural ultrasound scan performed by one of the mastery trained ultrasound physicians.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Completed
• Enrollment: 81
• Est. completion date: July 2016
• Est. primary completion date: July 2016
• Accepts healthy volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers
• Gender: All
• Age group: N/A to 90 Days

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

• Patient is less than 90 days old.

• Patient is receiving a lumbar puncture

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patient is clinically unstable

• Patient had a previous lumbar puncture in the past 24 hours

• An outside consultant (not working in ED) is performing the LP

• Patient has developmental delay or neurological impairment

• There is no legal guardian present

• The legal guardians speak neither English nor Spanish

• There is no ultrasound personnel available to enroll

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Spinal; Puncture, Complications
• Wounds and Injuries

Intervention

Device:
• Ultrasound
Patients will receive an ultrasound prior to lumbar puncture procedure to help visualize and select spinal interspace.

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
United States	Columbia University	New York	New York

Sponsors (1)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
Columbia University

Country where clinical trial is conducted

United States, 

References & Publications (23)

Abo A, Chen L, Johnston P, Santucci K. Positioning for lumbar puncture in children evaluated by bedside ultrasound. Pediatrics. 2010 May;125(5):e1149-53. doi: 10.1542/peds.2009-0646. Epub 2010 Apr 19. — View Citation

Alpern ER, Stanley RM, Gorelick MH, Donaldson A, Knight S, Teach SJ, Singh T, Mahajan P, Goepp JG, Kuppermann N, Dean JM, Chamberlain JM; Pediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network. Epidemiology of a pediatric emergency medicine research network: the PECARN Core Data Project. Pediatr Emerg Care. 2006 Oct;22(10):689-99. doi: 10.1097/01.pec.0000236830.39194.c0. — View Citation

Bailie HC, Arthurs OJ, Murray MJ, Kelsall AW. Weight-based determination of spinal canal depth for paediatric lumbar punctures. Arch Dis Child. 2013 Nov;98(11):877-80. doi: 10.1136/archdischild-2013-303793. Epub 2013 Aug 21. — View Citation

Bonadio W. Pediatric lumbar puncture and cerebrospinal fluid analysis. J Emerg Med. 2014 Jan;46(1):141-50. doi: 10.1016/j.jemermed.2013.08.056. Epub 2013 Nov 1. — View Citation

Bruccoleri RE, Chen L. Needle-entry angle for lumbar puncture in children as determined by using ultrasonography. Pediatrics. 2011 Apr;127(4):e921-6. doi: 10.1542/peds.2010-2511. Epub 2011 Mar 28. — View Citation

Coley BD, Shiels WE 2nd, Hogan MJ. Diagnostic and interventional ultrasonography in neonatal and infant lumbar puncture. Pediatr Radiol. 2001 Jun;31(6):399-402. doi: 10.1007/s002470100453. — View Citation

Duniec L, Nowakowski P, Kosson D, Lazowski T. Anatomical landmarks based assessment of intravertebral space level for lumbar puncture is misleading in more than 30%. Anaesthesiol Intensive Ther. 2013 Jan-Mar;45(1):1-6. doi: 10.5603/AIT.2013.0001. — View Citation

Furness G, Reilly MP, Kuchi S. An evaluation of ultrasound imaging for identification of lumbar intervertebral level. Anaesthesia. 2002 Mar;57(3):277-80. doi: 10.1046/j.1365-2044.2002.2403_4.x. — View Citation

Glatstein MM, Zucker-Toledano M, Arik A, Scolnik D, Oren A, Reif S. Incidence of traumatic lumbar puncture: experience of a large, tertiary care pediatric hospital. Clin Pediatr (Phila). 2011 Nov;50(11):1005-9. doi: 10.1177/0009922811410309. Epub 2011 May 27. — View Citation

Hill CA, Gibson PJ. Ultrasound determination of the normal location of the conus medullaris in neonates. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol. 1995 Mar;16(3):469-72. — View Citation

Jain S, Cheng J, Alpern ER, Thurm C, Schroeder L, Black K, Ellison AM, Stone K, Alessandrini EA. Management of febrile neonates in US pediatric emergency departments. Pediatrics. 2014 Feb;133(2):187-95. doi: 10.1542/peds.2013-1820. Epub 2014 Jan 27. — View Citation

Kesler H, Dias MS, Kalapos P. Termination of the normal conus medullaris in children: a whole-spine magnetic resonance imaging study. Neurosurg Focus. 2007;23(2):E7. doi: 10.3171/FOC-07/08/E7. — View Citation

Kessler DO, Arteaga G, Ching K, Haubner L, Kamdar G, Krantz A, Lindower J, Miller M, Petrescu M, Pusic MV, Rocker J, Shah N, Strother C, Tilt L, Weinberg ER, Chang TP, Fein DM, Auerbach M. Interns' success with clinical procedures in infants after simulation training. Pediatrics. 2013 Mar;131(3):e811-20. doi: 10.1542/peds.2012-0607. Epub 2013 Feb 25. — View Citation

Lo MD, Parisi MT, Brown JC, Klein EJ. Sitting or tilt position for infant lumbar puncture does not increase ultrasound measurements of lumbar subarachnoid space width. Pediatr Emerg Care. 2013 May;29(5):588-91. doi: 10.1097/PEC.0b013e31828e630d. — View Citation

Nigrovic LE, Kuppermann N, Neuman MI. Risk factors for traumatic or unsuccessful lumbar punctures in children. Ann Emerg Med. 2007 Jun;49(6):762-71. doi: 10.1016/j.annemergmed.2006.10.018. Epub 2007 Feb 23. — View Citation

Oncel S, Gunlemez A, Anik Y, Alvur M. Positioning of infants in the neonatal intensive care unit for lumbar puncture as determined by bedside ultrasonography. Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed. 2013 Mar;98(2):F133-5. doi: 10.1136/archdischild-2011-301475. Epub 2012 Jun 9. — View Citation

Rozzelle CJ, Reed GT, Kirkman JL, Shannon CN, Chern JJ, Wellons JC 3rd, Tubbs RS. Sonographic determination of normal Conus Medullaris level and ascent in early infancy. Childs Nerv Syst. 2014 Apr;30(4):655-8. doi: 10.1007/s00381-013-2310-6. Epub 2013 Nov 1. — View Citation

Sahin F, Selcuki M, Ecin N, Zenciroglu A, Unlu A, Yilmaz F, Mavis N, Saribas S. Level of conus medullaris in term and preterm neonates. Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed. 1997 Jul;77(1):F67-9. doi: 10.1136/fn.77.1.f67. — View Citation

Shaikh F, Brzezinski J, Alexander S, Arzola C, Carvalho JC, Beyene J, Sung L. Ultrasound imaging for lumbar punctures and epidural catheterisations: systematic review and meta-analysis. BMJ. 2013 Mar 26;346:f1720. doi: 10.1136/bmj.f1720. — View Citation

Shekelle PG, Wachter RM, Pronovost PJ, Schoelles K, McDonald KM, Dy SM, Shojania K, Reston J, Berger Z, Johnsen B, Larkin JW, Lucas S, Martinez K, Motala A, Newberry SJ, Noble M, Pfoh E, Ranji SR, Rennke S, Schmidt E, Shanman R, Sullivan N, Sun F, Tipton K, Treadwell JR, Tsou A, Vaiana ME, Weaver SJ, Wilson R, Winters BD. Making health care safer II: an updated critical analysis of the evidence for patient safety practices. Evid Rep Technol Assess (Full Rep). 2013 Mar;(211):1-945. — View Citation

Tame SJ, Burstal R. Investigation of the radiological relationship between iliac crests, conus medullaris and vertebral level in children. Paediatr Anaesth. 2003 Oct;13(8):676-80. doi: 10.1046/j.1460-9592.2003.01120.x. — View Citation

Wilson DA, Prince JR. John Caffey award. MR imaging determination of the location of the normal conus medullaris throughout childhood. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 1989 May;152(5):1029-32. doi: 10.2214/ajr.152.5.1029. — View Citation

Wolf S, Schneble F, Troger J. The conus medullaris: time of ascendence to normal level. Pediatr Radiol. 1992;22(8):590-2. doi: 10.1007/BF02015359. — View Citation

* Note: There are 23 references in all — Click here to view all references

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	Lumbar Puncture Success - Composite Score Including Lab Results and Reported Attempts	Our primary outcome of the clinical trial is binary, success or failure of lumbar puncture. Success is defined as obtaining a sample of cerebrospinal fluid on the first attempt that has a red blood cell count of <1000 red blood cells per high-powered field.	Outcome measured on the same day of the procedure
Secondary	Number of Attempts- Per Direct Observation	Defined as the number of times a lumbar puncture needle is removed from skin and reinserted or a new needle is inserted.	Outcome measured at the time of the procedure (same day)