Every Second Counts: Handheld Ultrasound in Pre-Hospital Emergency Care
Pre-hospital emergency care is the primary and crucial link in the emergency medical service system, which gains valuable time for further treatment and improved prognosis. According to the *Notice on Further Improving the Guiding Opinions on Pre-hospital Medical Emergency Services* jointly issued by the National Health Commission of China, the National Development and Reform Commission and other 8 departments, pre-hospital medical emergency care is an important part of the health and health cause, and plays a vital role in medical first aid, major event support, and emergency rescue of sudden public events. It is clearly stated that the pre-hospital emergency care system should be improved by 2025.
The pre-hospital emergency care system is the forward position of the emergency medical service system and a crucial stronghold for safeguarding patients’ lives. Scientific, rapid and effective first-aid measures are important means to reduce the disability and mortality rates of patients. The application of portable ultrasound devices in pre-hospital emergency care has already been realized in European and American countries. The SonoMaxx handheld ultrasound, featuring a compact size, simple operation, practical functions and clear images, creates conditions for pre-hospital emergency care, helps doctors accurately assess patients’ physical conditions and shortens the treatment time.
The application of ultrasound in the rapid triage of pre-hospital emergency and critical patients is mainly achieved through the screening of key parts such as the heart, lungs, and abdominal cavities. Based on typical ultrasonic signs, it can diagnose or exclude life-threatening acute emergencies that require rapid intervention. In pre-hospital emergency care, its applications are mainly reflected in the following two aspects:
1) Pre-examination and triage: The SonoMaxx handheld ultrasound can be used in special medical scenarios such as battlefields, natural disasters, and transportation vehicles. It is used to quickly determine the presence of closed injuries (including abdominal effusion, pericardial effusion, pneumothorax, and hemothorax), assess the status of organ damage, and improve the accuracy of diagnosis. Thus, it enables the rapid implementation of triage measures, the early initiation of classified treatment, the shortening of treatment time, the improvement of emergency medical quality, and the reduction of mortality rates.
2) Pre-hospital transportation: Portable ultrasound not only shortens the time of pre-hospital treatment and transportation but also helps pre-hospital physicians assess injuries earlier and more accurately. Furthermore, it allows for targeted treatment, greatly improving the success rate of trauma treatment. At the same time, it can also classify patients based on their vital signs and determine the mode of transportation and the level of hospital to which the patients should be transferred.
The picture shows the SonoMaxx handheld ultrasound
supporting ambulance and helicopter rescue during the Beijing Winter Olympics.
The ultrasound protocols used in pre-hospital emergency care include the FAST/EFAST protocols for trauma, the BLUE protocol for the lungs, and the FEEL procedure for cardiopulmonary resuscitation. These protocols can timely detect reversible factors of cardiac arrest such as tension pneumothorax, cardiac tamponade, and severe hypovolemic shock.
BMV
Data shows that 4 minutes is the optimal first-aid window for sudden cardiac death patients, while 30 minutes is the critical rescue period for those with severe trauma. Skilled medical staff can complete almost all bedside ultrasound scans within 3 minutes. With virtually no boot-up waiting time, the SonoMaxx handheld ultrasound is plug-and-play, which greatly shortens the response time and allows medical staff to scan patients immediately. In addition, the handheld ultrasound is as compact as a mobile phone and takes up no space, which is a significant advantage in the emergency systems of ambulances or helicopters.
The advancement of 5G remote technology has opened up another possibility for pre-hospital emergency care. The handheld ultrasound supports 5G remote connectivity, allowing ultrasound images collected on-site to be transmitted in real time to emergency medical centers via 5G for interpretation by experienced professional physicians. In-hospital emergency departments can then prepare emergency plans in advance based on the patient’s condition and implement treatment immediately upon the patient’s arrival by ambulance, further shortening the treatment time and truly achieving real-time, time-difference-free remote transmission of vital signs data.
The application of ultrasound in pre-hospital emergency care has demonstrated significant value; it can effectively reduce the mortality rate of critically ill patients. Under the leadership of the National Health Commission, hospitals at all levels are actively building “Chest Pain Centers, Stroke Centers, and Trauma Centers”, and the overall improvement of emergency response capabilities is imminent. The SonoMaxx handheld ultrasound will continue to promote the popularization of ultrasound applications in clinical specialties, supporting visualized and precise diagnosis and treatment.