Prehospital evaluation and detection of induced coagulopathy in trauma: The PREDICT study.

Background: Hemorrhage with trauma-induced coagulopathy (TIC) and hyperfibrinolysis (HF) increases the mortality risk after severe trauma. While TIC at hospital admission is well studied, little is known about coagulopathy at the incident site. The aim of the study was to investigate coagulation disorders already present on scene.

Outcome after pre-hospital cardiac arrest in accordance with underlying cause.

Aim: In terms of treatment options, the underlying cause of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) has an impact on survival. This study aimed to examine the frequencies of different causes of OHCA and their outcomes using data from a national resuscitation registry.

Methods: All pre-hospital cardiopulmonary resuscitations (CPR) documented in the German Resuscitation Registry between 2007 and 2017 were retrospectively investigated with regard to cause of cardiac arrest, return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC), and hospital discharge rate with good neurological outcome.

Changes in anaesthetic use for trauma patients in German HEMS - a retrospective study over a ten-year period.

Background: Airway management and use of intravenous anaesthetics to facilitate tracheal intubation after major trauma remains controversial. Numerous agents are available and used for pre-hospital rapid-sequence induction (RSI). The aim was to investigate usage and potential changes in administration of intravenous anaesthetics for pre-hospital RSI in trauma patients over a ten-year period.

Mechanical chest compression: an alternative in helicopter emergency medical services?

Mechanical chest compression devices are mentioned in the current guidelines of the European Resuscitation Council (ERC) as an alternative in long-lasting cardiopulmonary resuscitations (CPR) or during transport with ongoing CPR. We compared manual chest compression with mechanical devices in a rescue-helicopter-based scenario using a resuscitation manikin. Manual chest compression was compared with the mechanical devices LUCAS™ 2, AutoPulse™ and animax mono (10 series each) using the resuscitation manikin AmbuMan MegaCode Wireless, which was intubated endotracheally and controlled ventilated during the entire scenario.

EZ-IO(®) intraosseous device implementation in German Helicopter Emergency Medical Service.

Background: Intraosseous access (IO) is a rapid and safe alternative when peripheral venous access is difficult. Our aim was to summarize the first three years experience with the use of a semi-automatic IO device (EZ-IO(®)) in German Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS).

Methods: Included were all patients during study period (January 2009-December 2011) requiring an IO access performed by HEMS team.

Cardio pump reloaded: in-hospital resuscitation during transport.

High-quality chest compressions are crucial during resuscitation if a positive outcome is to be achieved. Sometimes a patient must be transported within the hospital while chest compressions are being performed. We compared different chest compression devices [animax mono (AM), AutoPulse(®) (AP) and LUCAS2™ (L2)] with manual chest compression using a manikin during transport from a fifth floor ward to the cardiac catheterization laboratory in the basement.

Transport with ongoing resuscitation: a comparison between manual and mechanical compression.

Aim: In special circumstances it may be necessary to transport out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients with ongoing resuscitation to the hospital. External mechanical chest compression devices could be an alternative for these resuscitations. The study compares manual chest compression with external mechanical devices and a semiautomatic device in transport conditions using a resuscitation manikin.

Prehospital endotracheal intubation and chest tubing does not prolong the overall resuscitation time of severely injured patients: a retrospective, multicentre study of the Trauma Registry of the German Society of Trauma Surgery.

Background: The aim of this study was to determine whether prehospital endotracheal intubation (ETI) and chest tube placement is unnecessarily time consuming in severely injured patients.

Patients And Methods: A retrospective, multicentre study including all adult patients (ISS ≥9; 2002-7) of the Trauma Registry of the German Society of Trauma Surgery who were not secondarily transferred to a trauma centre and received a definitive airway and a chest tube. Creating four groups: AA (n=963) receiving ETI and chest tube on scene, AB (n=1547) ETI performed in the prehospital setting but chest tubing later in the emergency department (ED) and BB (n=640) receiving both procedures in the ED.

Intranasal application of xenon reduces opioid requirement and postoperative pain in patients undergoing major abdominal surgery: a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Both central sensitization after peripheral tissue injury and the development of opioid tolerance involve activation of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors. At subanesthetic doses the NMDA receptor antagonist xenon suppresses pain-evoked sensitization of pain-processing areas in the central nervous system. Although numerous studies describe the effect of NMDA receptor antagonists on postoperative pain, clinical studies elucidating their intraoperative analgesic potency when applied in a low dosage are still largely missing.

Tight control of prehospital ventilation by capnography in major trauma victims.

Background: Tracheal intubation combined with controlled ventilation of the lungs is an important part of the prehospital management of major trauma victims, but gauging the adequacy of ventilation remains a major problem.

Methods: Ninety-seven major trauma victims who underwent tracheal intubation in the field and controlled ventilation of the lungs during prehospital treatment by a Helicopter Emergency Medical Service were assigned randomly to one of two groups: (1) monitor group (n=57) and (2) monitor-blind group (n=40), according to whether the anaesthetist could or could not see an attached capnograph screen. In the monitor-blind group ventilation was set by using a tidal-volume of 10 ml kg(-1) estimated body weight and an age-appropriate ventilatory frequency.