Feasibility of bedside thoracic ultrasound in the helicopter emergency medical services setting.

Introduction: Bedside thoracic ultrasound has been shown to be a valuable diagnostic tool in the emergency department. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of bedside thoracic ultrasound in the prehospital HEMS setting.

Setting: Air ambulance helicopters during patient transportation.

Effect of position and weight force on inferior vena cava diameter--implications for arrest-related death.

Introduction: The physiology of many sudden, unexpected arrest-related deaths (ARDs) proximate to restraint has not been elucidated. A sudden decrease in central venous return during restraint procedures could be physiologically detrimental. The impact of body position and applied weight force on central venous return has not been previously studied.