• Sebastian Bergrath, Rolf Rossaint, Henning Biermann, Max Skorning, Stefan K Beckers, Daniel Rörtgen, Jörg Ch Brokmann, Christian Flege, Christina Fitzner, and Michael Czaplik.
• Emergency Medical Care Section, Department of Anaesthesiology, University Hospital Aachen, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstr. 30, D-52074 Aachen, Germany. sbergrath@ukaachen.de
• Resuscitation. 2012 Apr 1; 83 (4): 488-93.

BackgroundTo compare a novel, pressure-limited, flow adaptive ventilator that enables manual triggering of ventilations (MEDUMAT Easy CPR, Weinmann, Germany) with a bag-valve-mask (BVM) device during simulated cardiac arrest.MethodsOverall 74 third-year medical students received brief video instructions (BVM: 57s, ventilator: 126s), standardised theoretical instructions and practical training for both devices. Four days later, the students were randomised into 37 two-rescuer teams and were asked to perform 8min of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on a manikin using either the ventilator or the BVM (randomisation list). Applied tidal volumes (V(T)), inspiratory times and hands-off times were recorded. Maximum airway pressures (P(max)) were measured with a sensor connected to the artificial lung. Questionnaires concerning levels of fatigue, stress and handling were evaluated. V(T), pressures and hands-off times were compared using t-tests, questionnaire data were analysed using the Wilcoxon test.ResultsBVM vs. ventilator (mean±SD): the mean V(T) (408±164ml vs. 315±165ml, p=0.10) and the maximum V(T) did not differ, but the number of recorded V(T)<200ml differed (8.1±11.3 vs. 17.0±14.4 ventilations, p=0.04). P(max) did not differ, but inspiratory times (0.80±0.23s vs. 1.39±0.31s, p<0.001) and total hands-off times (133.5±17.8s vs. 162.0±11.1s, p<0.001) did. The estimated levels of fatigue and stress were comparable; however, the BVM was rated to be easier to use (p=0.03).ConclusionFor the user group investigated here, this ventilator exhibits no advantages in the setting of simulated CPR and carries a risk of prolonged no-flow time.Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

29 keywords...

hide…