Prehospital improvisation of standard oxygen therapy equipment to facilitate delivery of a bronchodilator in a supine patient

Citation

Fitzpatrick D, Brady JA & Maguire D (2012) Prehospital improvisation of standard oxygen therapy equipment to facilitate delivery of a bronchodilator in a supine patient. Emergency Medicine Journal, 29 (11), pp. 921-922. https://doi.org/10.1136/emj.2011.111666

Abstract
A police request was made to the ambulance service to attend an adult victim of an alleged assault. On arrival the patient was found to be alert (AVPU: alert, responds to verbal stimuli, responds to pain, unresponsive), in a seated position, and complaining of head, neck and back pain. The airway was clear; a mild diffuse polyphonic wheeze was noted bilaterally throughout both lungs. Respiratory rate was 16 bpm and heart rate was 126 bpm. Oxygen therapy was commenced via a duo mask (fractional inspired oxygen (FiO2) 0.53) as oxygen saturation was recorded initially at 94% on air. The mechanism of injury caused concern regarding possible c-spine injury as the patient's head had been struck forcefully against the wall. The patient denied any loss of consciousness. Bony tenderness was elicited during c-spine examination and a c-spine collar was applied with full spinal precautions. The patient was immobilised using …

Journal
Emergency Medicine Journal: Volume 29, Issue 11