Evidence map›Paper›PMID 32682422›Full record

ArticleBMC medical education2020

Using formalin embalmed cadavers to teach fracture identification with ultrasound.

Michael Weston, Dallin Elmer, Scott McIntosh, Nena Lundgreen Mason

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC medical education, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Michael WestonRocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine - Southern Utah, 255 East Center Street, Ivins, UT, 84738, USA.
Dallin ElmerRocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine - Southern Utah, 255 East Center Street, Ivins, UT, 84738, USA.
Scott McIntoshRocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine - Southern Utah, 255 East Center Street, Ivins, UT, 84738, USA.
Nena Lundgreen MasonRocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine - Southern Utah, 255 East Center Street, Ivins, UT, 84738, USA. nenalundgreen@gmail.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4638-5164

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundUltrasound is being utilized more frequently to diagnose fractures in bone and track fracture reduction quickly, and without radiation exposure in the ED. Realistic and practical methods of teaching sonographic fracture identification to medical trainees are needed. The objective of this study is to determine the feasibility of using formalin-embalmed human cadavers in teaching medical trainees to use ultrasound to identify synthetic fractures in tibia, radius, and metacarpal bones.

methodsFirst-year medical students attended an orientation presentation and a 15-min scanning workshop, to evaluate fractures in cadaver bones with an instructor. Next participants independently scanned bones to determine if a fracture was present. Questionnaires were given that assessed participant self-confidence and ability to evaluate still ultrasound images for fracture and differentiate between tissue layers before, after, and 5 months following training.

resultsParticipants were collectively able to scan and differentiate between fractured and unfractured bone in 75% of 186 total bone scanning attempts (tibia: 81% correct, metacarpal: 68% correct, radius: 76% correct). When evaluating still ultrasound images for fracture, participants' scores rose significantly following training from an average score of 77.4 to 91.1% (p = 0.001). Five months post-training, scores fell slightly, to an average of 89.8% (p = 0.325).

conclusionsUltrasound images of formalin-embalmed cadaveric fractures are of sufficient quality to use in teaching fracture identification to medical trainees. With only 15 minutes of scanning experience, medical trainees can learn to independently scan and significantly increase their ability to identify fractures in still ultrasound images.

Indexed as

CadaverUltrasonographyEducation, Medical, UndergraduateEmbalmingFormaldehydeFractures, BoneHumansSurveys and QuestionnairesFormaldehydeFracture identificationMedical educationUltrasound educationUltrasound in cadavers

Identifiers

PMID32682422
PMCPMC7368716

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.