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Carter County Emergency &
Rescue Squad, Inc.
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EMS Division
P.O. Box 775 Elizabethton, TN
37644-0776 (423) 543-5445
FAX (423) 543-4323 |
Rescue Division
P.O. Box Elizabethton, TN 37644-0776
(423) 543-5445 |
July 7, 1997
Tom Cleveland
PALCO LABORATORIES
3230 Moss Creek DRIVE
Marietta, Ga. 30062
Dear Mr. Cleveland:
In discussion with you about the oxylator resuscitation system,
I have come to the conclusion that the oxylator is a vital asset
to our organization and the work we do in the EMS field. We
used it when a man shot himself in the chest with a 357 hand
gun, causing a wound to the right side of the chest and collapsing
the right lung. We administered oxygen via the Oxylator and
it was very efficient and effective. After we intubated the
patient, we set the Oxylator on automatic mode so that we could
free another set of hands. This was extremely helpful. The Oxylator
was administering breaths at a very high rate of speed. Due
to this, we determined that the patient had a collapsed lung.
If we had been using an ambu bag, this might not have been determined.
The Oxylator did very well on this call.
A 34 year old male was brought into the local Emergency Room
in full cardiac arrest. The crew on board had been using the
Ambu bag. The patient was brought in with an O2 saturation
of 94-95%. The respiratory therapist at the hospital was also
using an ambu bag. The best O2 saturation the hospital
could get was 97%. After I applied the Oxylator to the patient
, the O2 sat. level went up to 98-99%. This was with
the Oxylator in automatic mode. The patient did have a heart
beat but was not breathing on his own. Ten minutes after arriving
at the hospital, we placed this patient in a trendelenburg position.
At this time the Oxylator started administering oxygen at a
faster rate. This was due to the pressure from the stomach on
the diaphragm. At that time I increased the Oxylator to 40 cm/H2O
and it started administering breaths every two seconds as desired.
A 70 year old female was found lying supine on the floor. She
was in full cardiac arrest. We hyperventilated the patient with
no success. The patient had a blocked airway due to the tongue.
We then rehyperextended the neck and the Oxylator immediately
started functioning properly.I feel that if an ambu bag had
been used, the patient would not have gotten supplemental oxygen
as was supplied. The paramedic inserted the endotracheal tube
into the patient. The Oxylator was hooked up and it had a continuous
flow of oxygen which indicated to us that the tube was in the
stomach and not the lungs. Due to the expansion of the stomach,
the Oxylator was giving a continuous breath. We then reintubated
the patient and hooked the Oxylator back up to the patient.
It then began giving adequate ventilation when adjusted to a
2 second inspiration.
I feel that the Oxylator has been a vital asset to our organization
and to our crews because of the hands free operation and feed
back of the device. If you have any questions feel free to contact
me at any time.
Terry L. Arnold EMT-P
EMS Director
Iodent Way
Elizabethton, TN. 37643
423-543-5445 |
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