PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy of ultrasound for the detection of a partial tendon injury of the dorsum of the hand by emergency doctors using a swine model. METHODS: Fifteen swine feet were used for the study. Two tendons from each foot were examined using a 10 MHz hocky stick scan head. A 0%, 10%, 50% and 90% incision was made in each extensor tendon at the proximal site of the skin incision. Four emergency physicians and five senior emergency residents were blinded to the injuries and evaluated the samples for a partial tendon rupture. RESULTS: The difference between the results for the emergency physicians and the emergency senior residents were not statistically significant.The diagnostic sensitivity for all participants was more than 10%; more than a 50% tendon injury was identified in 69.2% and 77.0%, respectively. The specificity was 51.4% and 53.5% for each case. The sensitivity and specificity showed no significant differences. (sensitivity p=0.243, specificity p=0.992) CONCLUSION: The results of this study confirm that ultrasound was useful in the detection of a partial tendon rupture by emergency doctors. The findings of this study have implications for the training of emergency room doctors.
Benzeneacetamides ; Emergencies ; Foot ; Hand ; Head ; Piperidones ; Rupture ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Skin ; Swine ; Tendon Injuries ; Tendons