Is the Straight-Leg-Evaluation-Trauma-Test (SILENT Test) a Feasible Alternative to Routine Clinical Assessment of Injuries to the Lower Limb? - A Survey of Trauma Surgeons

Colleen Höhne Sascha HalvachizadehEftychios Bolierakis, Hatem Alabdulrahman, Felix Karl-Ludwig KlingebielYannik Kalbas, Valentin Neuhaus, Hans-Christoph Pape, Frank Hildebrandand Till Berk

Department of Trauma, University Hospital Zurich, Switzerland  University of Zurich, Harald-Tscherne Laboratory for Orthopedic and Trauma Research, Switzerland  Department of Orthopedics, Trauma and Reconstructive Surgery, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Germany  These authors contributed equally

^*Correspondance to: Till Berk 

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Abstract:

Introduction: The novel Straight-Leg-Evaluation-Trauma-Test (SILENT) has been introduced as a standardized, rapid, and safe alternative to conventional clinical assessment of injuries to the lower extremity in the trauma bay setting. The aim of this study was to assess clinical experience of trauma surgeons with certain experience with the SILENT in the trauma bay. Materials and Methods: Trauma surgeons from one academic trauma center were enquired to complete a survey with 32 questions, designed to evaluate the SILENT test. Feasibility, safety, certainty, duration and general questions were asked and compared with individual techniques of examining the lower extremities during Primary Survey in a trauma bay setting. Results: This study included 56 MD participants, with the majority being ATLS providers (n = 46, 82.1%) and ten participants were ATLS instructors (17.9%). More than half (57.1%) of the participants supervise more than 100 trauma bay patients at the time of the study. Most participants reported the SILENT to be more standardized when compared to the routine examination (n = 44, 78.6%) and most participants declared the SILENT to be much more reproducible when compared to their routine examination (n = n = 44, 78.6%). Conclusion: Numerous clinically active trauma surgeons with experience of performing the SILENT report the test to be a feasible, safe, and standardized alternative to conventional clinical assessment of injuries to the lower extremity in the trauma bay setting. A positive SILENT yields recommendation for further radiographical evaluation.

Keywords:

SILENT test; Trauma bay; ATLS; Physical examination; Primary survey; Clinical evaluation

Cite the Article:

Höhne C, Halvachizadeh S, Bolierakis E, Alabdulrahman H, Karl-Ludwig Klingebiel F, Kalbas Y, et al. Is the Straight-Leg-Evaluation-Trauma-Test (SILENT Test) a Feasible Alternative to Routine Clinical Assessment of Injuries to the Lower Limb? - A Survey of Trauma Surgeons. World J Surg Surgical Res. 2025; 8: 1590..