unofficial name-cpr chest pumper

[Brady]

In this area we just got a new device that straps around the chest and does compressions for CPR freeing up ER workers to do other things. They only use it in the ER not in the field. They did show this on tv however with a manakin wich was almost flipping off of the table. Very disturbing for someone who did not understand what was going on. I haven't seen it yet so this is just me rambling on. But I did find out that when they were doing CPR on this guy who was pretty much dead and they strapped it on crooked and it ended up splitting the side of his chest open. Thoughts on this advancement?

[VDCavey]

Some of the ER's here in Belgium are already working with this device called "LUCAS" over here, I know at least one ambulance in the area that carries the device on board.

The speed and pressure are adjustable so if you split somebody open I think they need to read the manual again, biggest downpoint in pre hospital use is the high amount of compressed air the device uses (around 30litres a minute)

I witnessed one (sucsesfull) reanimation with this device and it is indeed not a pretty sight, on the other side, I rarely perform CPR without cracking ribs myself.

I Believe in it, and after pumping for 40 minutes last night I wished I had one in the car :twisted:

All the info and video of the device in use: http://www.lucas-cpr.com/start.php?sid=1

[JakeEMTP]

I think you are describing the Auto-pulse aka: Geezer Squeezer. We have it on our ambulance and it works great. It gives much better compressions than you or I could, and for a considerably longer time.

It is not difficult to place on a patient. Actually, I find it disturbing someone put it on wrong :? . Just relax, don't get to excited and place it on the patient.

My partner and I ran a code last week and used it. Oxalator and an EJ + the Auto-Pulse, one could conceivably run a code from the Captains seat.

http://www.zoll.com/product.aspx?id=84

[VentMedic]

The THUMPER, which has been around for almost 3 decades, has some "stories" attached to it when poorly trained people try to use it.

http://www.michiganinstruments.com/pdf/1007Manual.pdf

The LUCAS appears to be a modernized version of the THUMPER.

[VDCavey]

I think you are describing the Auto-pulse aka: Geezer Squeezer. We have it on our ambulance and it works great. It gives much better compressions than you or I could, and for a considerably longer time.

It is not difficult to place on a patient. Actually, I find it disturbing someone put it on wrong :? . Just relax, don't get to excited and place it on the patient.

My partner and I ran a code last week and used it. Oxalator and an EJ + the Auto-Pulse, one could conceivably run a code from the Captains seat.

http://www.zoll.com/product.aspx?id=84

Same idea different device

The site says its battery operated, how long do you run on a battery and is it possible to go to a mains supply in the ambulance?

[JakeEMTP]

Same idea different device

The site says its battery operated, how long do you run on a battery and is it possible to go to a mains supply in the ambulance?

The charge is supposed to last for 30 min. Since our transport times are less than that I can't confirm or deny that claim. Currently, we change the battery out at the hospital as there are charge docking stations in the EMS room.

I guess it is theoretically possible to have a charger and extra battery on the ambulance. It might be cost prohibitive though.

[VDCavey]

In a scoop and run scenario 30 minutes would be sufficient, but we rarely transport a patient while pumping, in a life threathening situation a Medical Urgence Group is called with a ER nurse and doctor and medication and stabilisation is done in the field, I have performed CPR in the field for over an hour several times with the Lucas we can go on as long as we have compressed air, worst case we could call in fire dep to supply the air.

[dean83]

The site says its battery operated, how long do you run on a battery and is it possible to go to a mains supply in the ambulance?

30 minutes per battery - 1 in the unit 1 spare. No AC power supply yet.

[dahlio]

Has the American Heart Assoc. came out with any statements for use of this product in the US?

[mrmeaner]

Geezer squeezer? Wasn't that the tabloid name for Anna Nicole? What size patients will it work on?