Category: EMS
Posted: 1/7/2024 by Ben Lawner, MS, DO
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BACKGROUND:
Critical care transport teams are tasked with extending specialized care to the bedside. Given the uptick in COVID and ARDS cases, there are increasing demands for the transport of patients proned for respiratory compromise. An air medical service in British Columbia (BC) published their experience with transporting intubated patients in the proned position. The BC service utilizes 2 trained flight paramedics and conducts transports via pressurized fixed wing and non pressurized rotor wing aircraft. The small, retrospective study of 10 patients demonstrated feasibility of this practice. No extubations were recorded in the study population. 6/10 patients experienced >6% increase in oxygen saturation and no medical lines were disconnected during transport.
BOTTOM LINE:
BALTIMORE, MD SPECIFIC PEARL:
BONUS AVIATION ENTHUSIASTC SPECIFIC PEARL:
Naples C, Micalos PS, Johnston T, Schlamp R, Besserer F, Vu E. Prone Positioning of Ventilated Patients During Air Medical Evacuation: A Case Series. Air Med J. 2024 Jan-Feb;43(1):55-59. doi: 10.1016/j.amj.2023.10.004. Epub 2023 Nov 8. PMID: 38154841.
