The CLEAR Vanguard Feasibility Study: Evaluating Novice-Performed Lung Ultrasound Compared to Chest X-Ray for Pneumothorax Detection After Chest Tube Removal in Cardiac Surgery Patients

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are evaluating whether medical trainees, such as residents and fellows, can learn to use lung ultrasound to detect pneumothorax (collapsed lung) after heart surgery. This study focuses on adults who have recently undergone cardiac surgery and are having their chest tubes removed in the intensive care unit. The purpose is to test if lung ultrasound can be safely and accurately performed by trainees instead of the usual chest X-ray, with results reviewed by expert doctors to plan future larger studies. In this observational study, trained medical trainees will perform lung ultrasound exams at the bedside within two hours after chest tube removal. Each patient will also receive a standard chest X-ray for comparison. The study takes place at three large hospitals and includes about 120 patients. No treatments are assigned; the study compares two diagnostic methods to assess their agreement and reliability. Participants will undergo lung ultrasound and chest X-ray assessments, with researchers monitoring how well trainees follow the procedure and comparing their results to experts' reviews. Patient experiences of having bedside ultrasound will also be collected. Outcomes include recruitment rate, protocol adherence, participant dropout, and diagnostic agreement. Safety is monitored for adverse events related to missed pneumothorax during hospital stay, with study involvement lasting up to 12 months for these evaluations.

Feasibility Study of Novice-Performed Lung Ultrasound for Pneumothorax Detection After Cardiac Surgery