Buffalo Hospital first in Minnesota to use new automated CPR device
BUFFALO, Minn. 05/13/2008--People who have sudden cardiac arrest at Buffalo Hospital have access to the latest innovation to improve their odds of survival. A cardio pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) machine called LUCAS™ that does chest compression better than a human was recently purchased by the Buffalo Hospital Foundation.
"I firmly believe that we are going to save more lives with this machine," says Charles Lick, MD, emergency medical director of Buffalo Hospital. "I'm convinced we can do much better CPR with LUCAS than we can with human intervention. The results are going to be impressive."
The LUCAS helps rescue personnel perform the steady, regular chest compressions required to meet American Heart Association CPR guidelines. Part plunger, part suction cup, the device uses force from a compressed air tank to force a patient's chest down and then back up again, drawing blood and air through the body with each repetition. Emergency personnel monitor the patient and provide the oxygen.
LUCAS, developed in Sweden, has been used in Europe for several years. When the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved LUCAS this past summer for use in the United States, Lick, who is also medical director for Allina Medical Transportation, began equipping Allina ambulances with the devices as fast as the manufacturer could supply them.
"We've been doing CPR in this country for more than 45 years with little to no impact on cardiac arrest survival rates," Lick says. "We know that CPR is difficult to do well. A machine doesn't get tired -- it is consistent, and consistency is key."
"The emergency department staff is trained to use LUCAS, and the device is located in the emergency department, but we can take it to all areas of the hospital," says Shelley Simkins, emergency manager of Buffalo Hospital.
More about Buffalo Hospital
Part of Allina Hospitals & Clinics, Buffalo Hospital is a not-for-profit regional medical center committed to providing exceptional care and improving the health of the communities it serves in and around Wright County.
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Related Links
Buffalo Hospital: Emergency care
Buffalo Hospital Foundation
News release: Buffalo Hospital launches campaign to support new CPR technology
CPR: Cardio pulmonary resuscitation
Emergency medicine specialists
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