Prehospital emergency care : official journal of the National Association of EMS Physicians and the National Association of State EMS Directors
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
A laboratory comparison of emergency percutaneous and surgical cricothyrotomy by prehospital personnel.
To compare the speeds and success rates of placement for percutaneous cricothyrotomy versus surgical or open cricothyrotomy. ⋯ In an animal model, surgical cricothyrotomy appeared to be a preferable method for establishing a definitive airway over the percutaneous method. Further research is required to define the optimal approach in the prehospital setting for the invasive airway.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Ability of laypersons to use the Cincinnati Prehospital Stroke Scale.
Early stroke recognition optimizes patients' opportunities to benefit from therapeutic options. Prehospital stroke recognition is suboptimal. If 9-1-1 dispatchers used stroke-identification tools, prehospital stroke recognition might occur more rapidly and accurately. The Cincinnati Prehospital Stroke Scale (CPSS) is a brief, effective tool used by emergency medical services and hospital personnel to identify stroke. The study's goal was to determine whether laypersons could be instructed to use the CPSS over the telephone. ⋯ Laypersons correctly administered and interpreted the CPSS when directed to do so over the telephone by a trained investigator. These findings suggest that the CPSS may be a useful tool in early prehospital detection of stroke by dispatchers.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Automated external defibrillator use by untrained bystanders: can the public-use model work?
For automated external defibrillators (AEDs) to be practical for broad public use, responders must be able to use them safely and effectively. This study's objective was to determine whether untrained laypersons could accurately follow the visual and voice prompt instructions of an AED. ⋯ This study demonstrated that the AED user interface significantly influences the ability of untrained caregivers to appropriately place pads and quickly deliver a shock. Avoiding grossly inappropriate pad placement and failure to place AED pads directly on skin may be correctable with improvements in the AED instruction user interface.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
The incidence and treatment of prehospital motion sickness.
The authors' objectives were: 1) to determine the incidence of motion sickness during ambulance transport on a mountainous route in healthy volunteers, and 2) to determine if droperidol alleviated the signs and symptoms of motion sickness in those volunteers who developed it. ⋯ The incidence of motion sickness during ambulance transport in a mountainous setting is substantial. There was a strong trend toward a positive treatment effect with droperidol. Further prospective study in an actual patient setting is warranted.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Paramedic use of the endotracheal tube introducer in a difficult airway model.
To determine whether advanced life support (ALS)-level prehospital providers can be taught to effectively use the Flex-Guide (FG) Endotracheal Tube (ETT) introducer in a difficult airway model by comparing success of styleted ETT intubation with Flex-Guide-assisted intubation. ⋯ Prehospital care providers were as successful intubating a difficult airway model using the newly learned bougie technique as they were using the more familiar styleted ETT technique.