Assessment of the geniohyoid muscle in critical illness
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Assessing the feasibility and reliability of an ultrasound-based method of measuring the geniohyoid muscle in mechanically ventilated patients – an observational study
IRAS ID
341070
Contact name
Peter Turton
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Warrington and Halton Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 3 months, 1 days
Research summary
Many patients in intensive care lose muscle due to illness, which can leave them weak when they leave hospital. We often measure this muscle loss in the arms and legs using ultrasound. However, being on a breathing machine (ventilator) can also affect the muscles used for swallowing, leading to swallowing problems after the breathing tube is removed.
One of these swallowing muscles, called the geniohyoid, sits under the jaw and can also be measured with ultrasound. This method works well in healthy volunteers who are awake and sitting upright. But ventilated patients are sedated, lying down, and have a breathing tube keeping their mouth slightly open. Before we can study how much this muscle shrinks in these patients, we need to test whether the ultrasound method works in this setting.
In this study, we will use a hospital ultrasound machine to measure the geniohyoid muscle in sedated patients on a ventilator. A trained researcher will place the ultrasound probe under the jaw, take a picture of the muscle, and measure its size. After a short break, they will repeat the process. Then, a second researcher—who did not see the first scan—will do the same.
This will help us answer:
Can we get clear, usable images in ventilated patients?
Do repeated scans by the same person give similar results?
Do different people get the same measurements?
Because patients will be sedated, they cannot give consent themselves. We will ask a relative or carer for advice on whether the patient would want to take part. Once the patient is awake and off the ventilator, we will ask them to confirm consent to use their data.
REC name
North West - Greater Manchester South Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
26/NW/0011
Date of REC Opinion
15 Jan 2026
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion