Positive association between ambulance double-crewing and OHCA outcomes: A New Zealand observational study

The impact of a ventilation timing light on CPR Quality: A randomized crossover study

A ventilation timing light (VTL) is a small commercially available single-use device that is programmed to light up at six-second intervals prompting rescuers to provide a single controlled breath during manual ventilation. The device also indicates the duration of the breath by remaining illuminated for the duration of the inspiratory time. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of the VTL on a selection of CPR quality metrics.

Methods

A total of 71 paramedic students who were already proficient in performing high-performance CPR (HPCPR) were required to perform HPCPR with and without a VTL. The quality of the HPCPR delivered, reflected by the selected quality metrics; chest compression fraction (CCF), chest compression rate (CCR), and ventilation rate (VR), was then evaluated.

Results

While HPCPR with and without a VTL were both able to achieve guideline-based performance targets of CCF, CCR, and VR, the group who had used the VTL to deliver HPCPR were able to consistently provide 10 ventilations for every minute of asynchronous compressions (10 breath/min vs 8.7 breath/min p < 0.001).

Conclusion

The use of a VTL allows for a VR target of 10 ventilations per minute to be consistently achieved without compromising guideline-based compression fraction targets (>80%), and chest compression rates when used during the delivery of HPCPR in a simulated OHCA event.

Application of Automated External Defibrillators in Motorcycle Ambulances in Thailand’s Emergency Medical Services

Background

Access time to emergency patients is a critical factor that affects the outcomes of life-or-death situations, especially in the cases of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests (OHCA). This study focused on developing a new model of emergency medical services (EMS) using a motorcycle-based ambulance (motorlance) with an automated external defibrillator (AED). There are currently no studies regarding access time for this vehicle. This study aimed at utilization of an AED in conjunction with motorlance and comparing the response time between a traditional ambulance and a motorlance.

Methods

This was a prospective study conducted in the EMS department of Srinagarind Hospital, located in Khon Kaen, Thailand, over a five-month period, from September 2021 to January 2022. Data were recorded employing a national standard of operations record form used for Thailand EMS departments nationwide.

Results

The 891 cases were divided into two groups which were motorlance and ambulance. The activation times for motorlance and ambulance were 0.44 minutes and 1.42 minutes, respectively (p < 0.001) and the response time in the motorlance group was 7.20 minutes compared with 9.25 minutes in the ambulance group. In OHCA, the motorlance with AED arrived at patients location and assisted to continue resuscitation at the hospital 88.9% of the time.

Conclusion

AED used in conjunction with motorcycle ambulances had shorter periods of both activation time and response time compared to ambulances. The use of AEDs clearly increases the number of continuous resuscitations in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients.