• Calvin Lukas Kienbacher, Wolfgang Schreiber, Harald Herkner, Christoph Holzhacker, Christof C Chwojka, Katharina Tscherny, Alexander Egger, Verena Fuhrmann, Maximilian Niederer, Marco Neymayer, Larissa Bernert, Alexandra Gamsjäger, Isabella Grünbeck, Marietta B Heitger, Line Saleh, Sophie Schmidt, Stephanie Schönecker, Dilara Wirth, Kenneth A Williams, and Dominik Roth.
• Department of Emergency Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
• Prehosp Emerg Care. 2024 May 30: 171-7.

ObjectivesTelephone instructions are commonly used to improve cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) by lay bystanders. This usually implies an audio but no visual connection between the provider and the emergency medical telecommunicator. We aimed to investigate whether video-guided feedback via a camera drone enhances the quality of CPR.MethodsWe conducted a randomized controlled simulation trial. Lay rescuers performed 8 min of CPR on an objective feedback manikin. Participants were randomized to receive telephone instructions with (intervention group) or without (control group) a drone providing a visual connection with the telecommunicator after a 2-min run-in phase. Performed work (total compression depth minus total lean depth) was the primary outcome. Secondary outcomes were the proportion of effective chest compressions, average compression depth, subjective physical strain measured every 2 min, and dexterity in the nine-hole peg test after the scenario. Outcomes were compared using the t- and Mann Whitney-U tests. A two-sided p-value of <0.05 was considered significant.ResultsWe included 27 individuals (14 (52%) female, mean age 41 ± 14 years). Performed work was greater in the intervention than in the control group (41.3 ± 7.0 vs. 33.9 ± 10.9 m; absolute difference 7.5, 95% CI 1.4 to 14.8; p = 0.046), with higher average compression depth (49 ± 7 vs. 40 ± 13 mm; p = 0.041), and higher proportions of adequate chest compressions (43 (IQR 14-60) vs. 3 (0-29) %; p = 0.041). We did not find any significant differences regarding the remaining secondary outcomes.ConclusionVideo-guided feedback via drones might be a helpful tool to enhance the quality of telephone-assisted CPR in lay bystanders.

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