Automated Versus Manual Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation in Flight: Are We Being Safe?

Objective: The primary purpose of this study was to compare the percentage of return of spontaneous circulation of in-flight cardiac arrest (IFCA) patients on admission to the emergency department (ED) who received in-flight standard cardiopulmonary resuscitation (s-CPR) versus automated cardiopulmonary resuscitation (a-CPR).

Setting: EMS helicopter (HEMS) service in Midwest USA.

Methods: This was a prospective, consecutive case series of adult patients who had IFCA of any cause managed with a-CPR between October 1, 2012, and February 8, 2016 (40 months), at a helicopter emergency medical service (HEMS) in the Midwestern United States.