Extracorporeal life support for refractory cardiac arrest

Denmark) blood gas analyzer is fast and reliable. The ABL-90 is light and portable and data can be automatically sent to the patient data management system or even the physician’s PDA. A study was carried out in order to investigate the feasibility of the unit in amobile emergency care unit. Materials and methods: The response towards g-forces and vibration had to be assessed before implementing the unit in the MECU. A dummy with the same dimensions and weight as the ABL-90 was constructed. An accelerometer was placed on top of the dummy, measuring g-forces during several regular ambulance runs. Furthermore, the shock response spectrum of the unit was calculated.Uponestablishing theextentof g-forces exertedandcalculating the shock response spectrum, further testing was carried out. Results: Although g-forces exerted were rather low (1.5–1.95g in all directions), initial findings demonstrated that the ABL-90was unstable. An inlet of the apparatus proved to be responsible for discontinuation within the calibration system. A re-designed cradle with added cushioning and a new inlet, designed to minimize the risk of a discontinued connection between the inlet and solution pack, enabled the ABL-90 to function. Conclusions: This study has shown that a slightly modified ABL-90 works in a MECU. As the apparatus has the potential for transmitting prehospital results to intra hospital patient datamanagement systems, this finding opens up for improved diagnostic and treatment possibilities, both prehospitally and in preparing emergency departments for patients before their arrival at the departments.