Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Ultrasound Training for Emergency Medicine Residents

Aim: The assessment of gastric content using bedside ultrasound is a critical skill for emergency physicians, particularly in determining aspiration risk during procedural sedation or emergency intubation. This pilot study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a structured ultrasound training program for emergency medicine residents in assessing gastric content and volume. Material and Methods: A six-hour structured theoretical and practical training session was conducted for emergency medicine residents. Following the training, participants performed gastric antrum ultrasound measurements on eight healthy volunteers in both fasting and postprandial states. Measurements included anteroposterior (AP) and craniocaudal (CC) diameters in both the supine and right lateral decubitus (RLD) positions. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) were calculated to assess interobserver reliability. Results: Emergency medicine residents demonstrated high interobserver reliability in gastric antrum ultrasound measurements following a structured training program. In the supine position, the ICC was 98% for AP diameter and 91% for CC diameter, while in the RLD position, ICC values were 95% for AP diameter and 96% for CC diameter. Postprandial measurements exhibited comparable reliability, with ICC values of 98% for supine AP, 97% for supine CC, 95% for RLD AP, and 98% for RLD CC, all of which were statistically significant (p < 0.001). Conclusion: In this study indicate that a short, focused ultrasound training session can effectively equip emergency medicine residents with the necessary skills to perform reliable gastric ultrasound assessments in clinical settings, facilitating improved aspiration risk evaluation and airway management decision-making.