Helicopter winching; Time off chest when performing CPR, manual compressions versus mechanical.

Abstract

Aim Winch Paramedics working on Search and Rescue helicopters in the UK are currently expected to deliver good quality, continual chest compressions whilst winching patients into the aircraft. The aim of this study is to ascertain the time off chest when compressions are delivered manually versus mechanically using a Schiller Easy Pulse.

Method Five winch paramedics from three UK SAR bases conducted ten winching serials each. Five were whilst delivering manual chest compressions and five were using the Schiller Easy Pulse mechanical chest compression device. The primary outcome measure was chest compression fraction of overall winching time (Fraction of total time where compressions were performed) The secondary outcome measure was chest compression quality which was measured on the depth of compressions delivered. The results were statistically analysed using the Man Whitney U test and confidence intervals were used to verify distribution of the data.

Results The compression fraction is greater when the Schiller Easy Pulse is used to winch a mannequin into a helicopter. The results show that the mean percentage of time off the chest in the mechanical group was 1.68% with a 95% confidence interval (CI) of 0.59-2.77 Vs 40.84% with a 95% CI of 35.00-46.68 in the manual group. The Mann-Whitney U test revealed that the results are statistically significant P=<.001. However the quality of both manual and mechanical compressions were poor.

Conclusion The compression fraction when using a Schiller Easy Pulse is significantly better whilst winching a mannequin into a SAR helicopter in comparison with a winch paramedics manually delivered chest compressions.