Let’s Hear from Our Devices | MEDUMAT Standard²

Accidents, sickness, violence – every day people depend on help from the emergency medical services. EMS field providers need the right equipment if they are to offer such patients the best possible care. 

Here it’s important that our devices are quick, easy and intuitive to use. Our devices are specially designed for emergency responses, whether that’s a rescue operation, for civil protection, military medical corps, or an in-hospital emergency. We wanted to know why they are so suited to emergency medicine and invited four of these devices to an interview. Our MEDUMAT Standard² ventilator was the first to speak.

Hi MEDUMAT Standard²! How are you today?

I’m fine, but I’m feeling a bit puffed out. I’ve just come back from an emergency response involving a patient in a cardiovascular arrest. I helped to save this woman’s life today together with my human colleagues. Such emergency situations are always stressful. But this feeling of achieving something and saving a person’s life is of course awesome.

That sounds exciting. How exactly were you able to help?

I was able to help my colleagues by guiding them through ventilation during CPR. All they had to do here was press my CPR button and they could select the patient group right away and start ventilation automatically with preconfigured settings. My monitor then shows all key information, e.g. when ventilation was last administered or how long cardiopulmonary resuscitation has been going on for.

That’s practical. So you’re responsible “only” for ventilation during CPR?

No, I also do other things to help afterwards! I can ensure optimal care for patients who’ve already had ventilation while on the way to hospital. The safe transport of patients is not only aided by my pressure-controlled ventilation modes, but also by my display of curves for pressure, flow and CO₂, as well as important ventilation parameters. EMS field providers always like having me along, as I’m the smallest and lightest transport ventilator in my class. I weigh only 2.5 kg*!

*Weight of the ventilator. On the portable unit, the weight is between four and 13 kg.

A true flyweight! What else makes you stand out from other ventilators?

I’m especially proud of my CCSV mode. No other ventilator in the world has this. This mode was specifically developed for cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Incidentally, it was also used during today’s session! With CCSV I was able to initiate a mechanical pressure-controlled breath in sync with each chest compression during CPR.

And that’s necessary? Why isn’t classical chest compression sufficient here?

The problem with chest compressions is that the heart is compressed along with the pulmonary vessels in the thorax. However, gas volume escapes from the surrounding lungs at the same time, so inhibiting the effect of pressure buildup and thus reducing cardiac output. This problem is solved by CCSV: No gas volume can escape through the breath administered in sync with the chest compression. The pressure in the thorax surges and cardiac output increases.

Does this make CCSV mode your favorite function?

Ventilation mode is definitely one of my favorite functions! I however often also have to assist with non-invasive ventilation, and I like using CPAP mode here. This enables patients to breathe spontaneously at an increased pressure level, e.g. in the case of cardiac pulmonary edema. My pressure support (ASB) even allows me to assist patients with inhalation.

Is it true you get on particularly well with the MEDUCORE Standard²?

Oh yes, we’re firm friends! We’re on the same wavelength so to speak – especially when a ventilator with a monitor and defibrillator is needed on a portable unit. With us EMS field providers have all functions at their disposal, both for ventilation and for monitoring vital functions. While I’m busy for example with ventilation in manual or IPPV mode, MEDUCORE Standard² can get on with defibrillation and keep an eye on the patient’s oxygen saturation and blood pressure levels. But it can best tell you what it can do itself!

To finish, we’d like to hear from you why you’re indispensable to the emergency medical services.

It’s because I offer EMS field providers intuitive operation while also providing them with highly specialized ventilation modes. I think that’s extremely important and crucial to the emergency medical services.