This randomized controlled trial involved 341 adult patients who experienced in-hospital cardiac arrest. The study took place across five affiliated teaching hospitals of medical universities. Participants were divided into two groups: one received hands-free carotid ultrasound using the CADFlow system, while the other group had clinicians use manual palpation to check for carotid artery pulsation.
The main results showed that the hands-free ultrasound group had a non-significantly higher rate of successful return of spontaneous circulation compared to the manual palpation group. The absolute numbers were 43 percent versus 33 percent, with a p-value of 0.053. However, the time required to assess carotid pulsation was significantly shorter in the ultrasound group. The mean time was 2.9 seconds versus 7.2 seconds for the manual group, with a p-value less than 0.001.
No adverse events or discontinuations were reported in the study. The hands-free system provided real-time feedback to help optimize CPR quality. While the improvement in success rates was not statistically significant, the faster assessment time is a clear benefit. This technology may help medical teams make quicker decisions during critical moments. Readers should note that this was a single trial with a specific sample size. More research may be needed to confirm these findings in broader settings.