Clin Exp Emerg Med.  2018 Mar;5(1):14-21. 10.15441/ceem.16.183.

Is it possible to reduce intra-hospital transport time for computed tomography evaluation in critically ill cases using the Easy Tube Arrange Device?

• Song KH
• Cho SU
• Lee JW
• Cho YC
• Jeong WJ
• You YH
• Ryu S
• Kim SW
• Yoo IS
• Joo KH

• KMID: 2409814
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.15441/ceem.16.183

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
Patients are often transported within the hospital, especially in cases of critical illness for which computed tomography (CT) is performed. Since increased transport time increases the risks of complications, reducing transport time is important for patient safety. This study aimed to evaluate the ability of our newly invented device, the Easy Tube Arrange Device (ETAD), to reduce transport time for CT evaluation in cases of critical illness.
METHODS
This prospective randomized control study included 60 volunteers. Each participant arranged five or six intravenous fluid lines, monitoring lines (noninvasive blood pressure, electrocardiography, central venous pressure, arterial catheter), and therapeutic equipment (O2 supply device, Foley catheter) on a Resusci Anne mannequin. We measured transport time for the CT evaluation by using conventional and ETAD method.
RESULTS
The median transport time for CT evaluation was 488.50 seconds (95% confidence interval [CI], 462.75 to 514.75) and, 503.50 seconds (95% CI, 489.50 to 526.75) with 5 and 6 fluid lines using the conventional method and 364.50 seconds (95% CI, 335.00 to 388.75), and 363.50 seconds (95% CI, 331.75 to 377.75) with ETAD (all P < 0.001). The time differences were 131.50 (95% CI, 89.25 to 174.50) and 148.00 (95% CI, 116.00 to 177.75) (all P < 0.001).
CONCLUSION
The transport time for CT evaluation was reduced using the ETAD, which would be expected to reduce the complications that may occur during transport in cases of critical illness.

Keyword

Critical illness; Hospitals; Transportation

MeSH Terms

Blood Pressure
Central Venous Pressure
Critical Illness*
Electrocardiography
Humans
Manikins
Methods
Patient Safety
Prospective Studies
Transportation
Volunteers