TY - JOUR
T1 - Association between level of training and reliability of intrapartum transperineal ultrasound measurement of angle of progression
AU - Shemer, Ofer
AU - Shemer, Asaf
AU - Ganor Paz, Yael
AU - Rosen, Hadar
AU - Tovbin, Josef
AU - Barzilay, Eran
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
PY - 2022/1/1
Y1 - 2022/1/1
N2 - Objectives: Intrapartum transperineal ultrasound (ITU) is an accepted tool for assessing fetal head position and station prior to operative vaginal delivery attempt. However, the validity of intrapartum ultrasound in real-life obstetrics with operators at different proficiency level is yet to be established. We aimed to investigate the association between operator level of training and reliability of angle of progression (AOP) measurements in real-life obstetrics. Methods: This was a retrospective study in one university medical center. We included women who underwent ITU for the measurement of AOP, before vacuum assisted delivery from November 2017 to September 2020. AOP measurements performed by residents and their correlation to head station were compared to those performed by specialists. Results: A total of 320 cases met the inclusion criteria. In 234 of them, AOP measurements were performed by specialists and in 86 by residents. Average AOP for each station was similar between the specialists and the residents groups, indicating similar accuracy. However, measurements in the residents group were more scattered (median deviation 11.4° vs. 8.9°, respectively, p =.021), indicating poorer precision. Conclusions: AOP measurements performed by obstetrics and gynecology (OBGYN) specialists are more precise than those performed by residents. Efforts should be taken to improve ITU training and to implement assessment of performance programs.
AB - Objectives: Intrapartum transperineal ultrasound (ITU) is an accepted tool for assessing fetal head position and station prior to operative vaginal delivery attempt. However, the validity of intrapartum ultrasound in real-life obstetrics with operators at different proficiency level is yet to be established. We aimed to investigate the association between operator level of training and reliability of angle of progression (AOP) measurements in real-life obstetrics. Methods: This was a retrospective study in one university medical center. We included women who underwent ITU for the measurement of AOP, before vacuum assisted delivery from November 2017 to September 2020. AOP measurements performed by residents and their correlation to head station were compared to those performed by specialists. Results: A total of 320 cases met the inclusion criteria. In 234 of them, AOP measurements were performed by specialists and in 86 by residents. Average AOP for each station was similar between the specialists and the residents groups, indicating similar accuracy. However, measurements in the residents group were more scattered (median deviation 11.4° vs. 8.9°, respectively, p =.021), indicating poorer precision. Conclusions: AOP measurements performed by obstetrics and gynecology (OBGYN) specialists are more precise than those performed by residents. Efforts should be taken to improve ITU training and to implement assessment of performance programs.
KW - Angle of progression
KW - intrapartum ultrasound
KW - transperineal ultrasound
KW - vacuum extraction
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85121348377&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/14767058.2021.2014811
DO - 10.1080/14767058.2021.2014811
M3 - Article
C2 - 34882060
AN - SCOPUS:85121348377
SN - 1476-7058
VL - 35
SP - 9093
EP - 9097
JO - Journal of Maternal-Fetal and Neonatal Medicine
JF - Journal of Maternal-Fetal and Neonatal Medicine
IS - 25
ER -