NCT00388830

Emergency Ultrasound of the Gallbladder

"Emergency Bedside Ultrasonography of the Gallbladder: Does Fasting Matter?"

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 70 (planned)
• Sponsor: Christiana Care Health Services · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 75 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

The purpose of this study is to determine whether fasting for 8 hours prior to ultrasonography for cholelithiasis (gallbladder pain) is needed.

Detailed description

Ultrasonography of the gallbladder is currently the diagnostic modality of choice in determining cholelithiasis and cholecystitis. Historically this test has been performed in the Radiology suites where the patient was expected to fast for times of six to ten hours. Patients presenting to emergency departments (ED) have also been required to wait to have their study performed in order to have better visualization of the gallbladder. However, few studies have examined whether a fasting time matters in determining gallbladder pathology. Furthermore, with the emphasis on through-times in the ED, most EDs cannot afford holding their patients in the ED to wait for a test. Finally, with the advent of emergency bedside ultrasonography and the greater level of comfort emergency physicians (EP) have in diagnosing gallbladder pathology, it is possible to now determine an answer within minutes. We will test to see if EPs trained in the use of emergency bedside ultrasound can effectively and efficiently determine gallbladder pathology and if fasting has an impact on their ability to perform a quality ultrasound.

Conditions

• Gallbladder Diseases

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
PROCEDURE	Ultrasound

Timeline

• Start date: 2006-05-01
• Completion: 2007-07-01
• First posted: 2006-10-17
• Last updated: 2012-11-02

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States