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Compartment SyndromeNCT01077934

Assessment of Near Infrared Spectroscopy as a Diagnostic Tool in Acute Compartment Syndrome

An observational study of Compartment Syndrome, run by J&M Shuler at 1 site in United States.

Completed

Finished. The study has ended and is not enrolling. Results may be posted on the official record.

Official record
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Trial summary

The purpose of this study is to define the reliability and accuracy of Near Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS) in the detection of intra-compartmental tissue perfusion in injured and noninjured extremities over time. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 13 to 85 years
Conditions the study is for
Compartment Syndrome
What is being tested?
near-infrared spectroscopy
Type of treatment
Medical device
How many people
8 participants
Where
1 siteUnited States
Study dates
Nov 2011to Mar 2012
Phase
Observational
Are there results?
None posted in the registry

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 13 to 85 years
  • All sexes
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Child, Adult, Older adult

Study population: All Patients admitted to Grady with Unilateral Lower leg injury at risk for compartment syndrome

Who may be able to join

  • Patients will be included between the ages of thirteen and eighty-five who are willing to participate and have unilateral lower leg injury with a fracture to the tibia.

Who cannot join

  • Patients will be excluded from enrollment if they have bilateral injuries to the lower legs or have been previously diagnosed peripheral vascular disease. Patients will also be excluded if they are not willing to participate.

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country.

United States1 site
  • Emory University

    Atlanta, Georgia, 30303

Other trials in United States

About this study

The purpose of this study is to define the reliability and accuracy of Near Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS) in the detection of intra-compartmental tissue perfusion in injured and noninjured extremities over time. We hypothesize that this technology, combined with vital signs, intracompartmental pressures and clinical examinations, will be useful in diagnosing acute compartment syndrome (ACS), monitoring patients at risk for ACS, and evaluating the adequacy of fasciotomy in patients treated for ACS.

Read the detailed description

Acute compartment syndrome (ACS) is associated with lower leg trauma in up to 20% of high energy injuries. ACS occurs when the pressure due to swelling exceeds the perfusion pressure thereby cutting off blood flow to the leg. If untreated, the results can be catastrophic with an insensate, contracted leg. Moreover, there is a high risk of subsequent infection and even amputation. The treatment for ACS, a four compartment fasciotomy, is aimed at releasing the pressure through two incisions from roughly the knee to the ankle. Often due to wound expansion, the incisions require multiple debridements and skin grafting to close. With fasciotomies, fractures are converted from closed to open injuries. When left open for many days, the risk of infection and complications such as nonunion increase significantly.

The only accepted objective method for diagnosis of ACS is to measure the pressure inside the leg compartments by using a large gauge needle hooked to a pressure monitor. However, these readings can be erroneous if not performed correctly. As such, ACS continues to be a clinical diagnosis which is made based on the surgeon's experience and their interpretation of the character of the injury (high-energy, motorcycle crash, vs. low-energy, a twisted ankle). Clinicians are left to attempt to interpret physical exam findings and readings from pressure monitors. Most importantly ACS is not an event, but a process that can manifest at multiple points after injury. The most accurate and effective method for diagnosing and appropriately treating ACS is serial examination over a course of hours to days.

With this study, we hope to evaluate the NIRS device, which is non-invasive, as diagnostic tool in the evaluation of acute compartment syndrome. We plan to evaluate all patients by the gold standard in diagnosing acute compartment syndrome while simultaneously evaluating the patient with the NIRS device. This will allow us to determine if the NIRS device can accurately and reliably predict the development of acute compartment syndrome in a non-invasive, longitudinal manner.

"Access to a precise, reliable, and noninvasive method for early diagnosis of ACS would be a landmark achievement in orthopaedic and emergency medicine."

Being tested
near-infrared spectroscopy
Keywords
All Patients admitted to Grady Memorial Hospital with Unilateral Lower leg injury at risk for compartment syndrome
Medical subject headings
Compartment Syndromes

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • near-infrared spectroscopyDevice

    Non-invasive monitoring device applied on the surface of the skin that emits harmless red light to measure tissue perfusion.

Study groups in NCT01077934
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
Injured Extremity without compartment syndromeNot described
Receives: Device: near-infrared spectroscopy
Injured extremity with compartment syndromeNot described
Receives: Device: near-infrared spectroscopy

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. NIRS values in lower leg extremity injury

    We will monitor patients during their hospital stay from the time of admission until discharge at likey day 4.

    Measured: 4 days

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted1 Mar 2010 (estimated)
  2. Study startNov 2011
  3. Primary completionMar 2012
  4. Study completionMar 2012

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Observational
Observational model
Cohort
Time perspective
Prospective
Enrolment
8 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT01077934
Sponsor's protocol ID
01-10-14b
Status last verified
Apr 2015
First submitted
24 Feb 2010
Last updated
27 Apr 2015
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
Yes

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

An observational study of Compartment Syndrome, run by J&M Shuler at 1 site in United States.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 1 inclusion and 1 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 27 Apr 2015. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

Are results available for this study?

The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

NIRS values in lower leg extremity injury (time frame: 4 days). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 27 Apr 2015.

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