P2.274: Feasibility of Ultrasound-Assisted vs. Traditional Landmark-Based Lumbar Puncture in Pediatric Patients: A Post-Training Assessment

Purpose/Objectives: To deliver a simulation-based training session aimed at enhancing comfort and proficiency in using ultrasound assistance for performing lumbar punctures in the pediatric population.

Design/Methods: We conducted a simulation-based training session for Pediatric Emergency Medicine Fellows to familiarize them with ultrasound assistance for performing lumbar punctures. Pre- and post-training surveys were obtained and compared to evaluate for changes in their comfort and willingness to incorporate ultrasound assistance into future procedures.

Results: Among the Pediatric Emergency Medicine Fellows who participated in the training, there was an overall increase in comfort and willingness to use ultrasound assistance for lumbar punctures. Pre-training surveys revealed that only 30% of participants were “somewhat comfortable” using ultrasound for the procedure with the rest stating “not comfortable at all”. The post-training surveys showed significant improvement, with about an additional 50% being more “comfortable” in addition to the 30% being “somewhat comfortable”. Additionally, there was a combined 80% of participants who expressed willingness to incorporate ultrasound assistance into their future practice stating it as “somewhat likely” and “likely” in the post-training survey. Furthermore, the majority of participants reported a better understanding of the technique and felt more confident in performing lumbar punctures with ultrasound after the training session. However, participants who were already confident with the traditional techniques expressed less willingness to use the ultrasound during their first attempt as this would be more time-consuming than the traditional technique but were willing to use it after failed attempts.

Conclusion/Discussion: Training Pediatric Emergency Medicine Fellows in ultrasound-assisted lumbar puncture increased their comfort and willingness to adopt this technique. The simulation-based educational session demonstrated its potential to enhance procedural skills and may serve as a valuable tool for improving the safety and accuracy of lumbar punctures while also minimizing multiple attempts. Further studies with larger sample sizes are needed to assess long-term impacts on clinical practice and patient outcomes. We further plan to extend this simulation-based training session for the pediatric residents.