Clinical trials

Hip (femoral neck and pertrochanteric) fractures account for a significant part of Emergency Department (ED) visits after trauma. Studies suggest that point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is a reliable diagnostic tool for fracture assessment. POCUS has several advantages over conventional radiography, such as being portable, cheaper and radiation free. In addition, immediate conversion to ultrasound guided regional anaesthesia upon diagnosis of fracture can improve patient's time to proper analgesia. Moreover, POCUS can potentially be used pre-hospital to rule out hip fractures reducing ED crowding, as well as being a solution for areas where radiography is not readily available (e.g. rural or developing areas). The primary objective of this study, is to evaluate the diagnostic capabilities of POCUS regarding patients with suspected hip fracture after trauma compared to radiography, the current standard of care diagnostic tool.

Airway management is one of the resuscitative procedures patients may undergo in the Emergency Department (ED). While this is a high risk procedure, to date there is no data available on airway management practices, success or safety in EDs in the Netherlands. The objective of this study is to describe airway management in the Netherlands.

Describing characteristics of the practice of airway management in Dutch emergency departments, including information about patient demographics, indications, performer characteristics, equipment and medication used and complications due to intubation.

The goal of this feasibility study is to learn if Dutch ED providers are able to use transesophageal echocardiography during cardiac arrest. The main question it aims to answer is: • are the ED providers able to determine the area of maximal compression of the heart using TEE

Patients admitted to the ICU due to critical illness often experience physical, mental, cognitive, or social issues. Research indicates that inadequate physical recovery is associated with lower handgrip strength, and hand function in ICU patients is lower compared to healthy individuals. To address this, a Virtual Reality (VR) exergame was developed to aid rehabilitation. This study aims to investigate the effect of a 4-week VR-exergame intervention on handgrip strength, hand and arm functionality, balance, mobility, and support needs in ICU patients staying for 48 hours or longer. It is a multicenter mixed-methods randomized controlled trial involving adult ICU patients. The intervention involves a 4-week VR-exergame program. Main study parameters include handgrip strength, hand and arm functionality, range of motion, balance, mobility, and support needs. The burden and risks associated with participation are minimal, as VR-based exercises are deemed safe and voluntary. Overall, the study aims to assess the effect of incorporating VR-based rehabilitation into standard care for ICU patients.