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  • Can first responders achieve and maintain normocapnia when sequentially ventilating with a bag-valve device and two oxygen-driven resuscitators? A controlled clinical trial in 104 patients

European Journal of Anaesthesiology

Table of Contents - 2004 - Volume 21, Issue 05  


Original Article

Can first responders achieve and maintain normocapnia when sequentially ventilating with a bag-valve device and two oxygen-driven resuscitators? A controlled clinical trial in 104 patients

G. J. Noordergraaf a1c1, P. J. van Dun a1, B. P. Kramer a1, M. P. Schors a1, H. P. Hornman a2, W. de Jong a3 and A. Noordergraaf a4
a1 St. Elisabeth Hospital, Department of Anaesthesiology, Tilburg, The Netherlands
a2 Fire Department, City of Tilburg, Tilburg, The Netherlands
a3 St. Elisabeth Hospital, Department of Clinical Physics EN Tilburg, The Netherlands
a4 University of Pennsylvania, Departments of Bioengineering and Anaesthesiology, PA, USA

Article author query
noordergraf gj   [PubMed][Google Scholar] 
dun pj van   [PubMed][Google Scholar] 
kramer bp   [PubMed][Google Scholar] 
schors mp   [PubMed][Google Scholar] 
hornman hp   [PubMed][Google Scholar] 
jong w de   [PubMed][Google Scholar] 
noordergraaf a   [PubMed][Google Scholar] 

Summary

Background and objective: To evaluate the capability of first responders to achieve and maintain normal ventilation of the lungs of victims employing a bag-valve device and two oxygen-driven resuscitators.

Methods: Prospective, controlled, blinded, single-centre clinical trial using a bag-valve device and one of two FR-300® devices, with 20 cmH2O working pressure, and flows of either 24 or 30L min−1. One hundred and four patients were analysed. Induction of anaesthesia followed by ventilation of the lungs with a bag-valve device and an Oxylator® in manual and automatic modes performed by a fireman first responder. Each series was repeated for three conditions (anaesthesia; anaesthesia plus muscle relaxation, both with facemask; anaesthesia plus relaxation using an endotracheal tube).

Results: Patients age 49 ± 17 yr; 47% males, 48–132 kg. Normocapnia was achieved and maintained in 66% (bag-valve device), 82% (Oxylator®).

Conclusions: The use of an oxygen-driven device improves the ability of first responders to achieve and maintain normocapnia even when distracted. Use of the Oxylators® improves performance (P < 0.001) vs. the bag-valve device significantly.

(Accepted October 2003)


Key Words: EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES, ventilators, mechanical; EMERGENCY TREATMENT, respiration artificial, first aid; HEALTHCARE QUALITY ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION, technology assessment, biomedical.

Correspondence:
c1 Correspondence to: Gerrit Noordergraaf, Department of Anaesthesiology, St. Elisabeth Hospital, Hilvarenbeekseweg 60, 5022 GC Tilburg, The Netherlands. E-mail: g.noordergraaf@elisabeth.nl; Tel: +31 (0)13 539 1313 (beeper 6440); Fax: +31 (0)13 504 4926