Mechanical chest compressions in an avalanche victim with cardiac arrest: an option for extreme mountain rescue operations

Publication

Mechanical chest compressions in an avalanche victim with cardiac arrest: an option for extreme mountain rescue operations

Journal Paper/Review - Feb 18, 2014

Pietsch Urs, Lischke Volker, Pietsch Christine, Kopp Karl-Heinz

Citation

Pietsch U, Lischke V, Pietsch C, Kopp K. Mechanical chest compressions in an avalanche victim with cardiac arrest: an option for extreme mountain rescue operations. Wilderness Environ Med 2014; 25:190-3.

Type

Journal Paper/Review (English)

Journal

Wilderness Environ Med 2014; 25

Publication Date

Feb 18, 2014

Issn Electronic

1545-1534

Pages

190-3

Brief description/objective

Mountain rescue operations often present helicopter emergency medical service crews with unique challenges. One of the most challenging problems is the prehospital care of cardiac arrest patients during evacuation and transport. In this paper we outline a case in which we successfully performed a cardiopulmonary resuscitation of an avalanche victim. A mechanical chest-compression device proved to be a good way of minimizing hands-off time and providing high-quality chest compressions while the patient was evacuated from the site of the accident.