Evaluation of 2 different instruments for exposing the chest in conjunction with a cardiac arrest.

• BACKGROUND: Time between onset of cardiac arrest and start of treatment is of ultimate importance for outcome. The length of time it takes to expose the chest in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) is not known. We aimed to compare the time from onset of OHCA until the time at which the chest was exposed using a new device (S-CUT; ES Equipment, Gothenburg, Sweden) and a pair of scissors. METHODS: In a manikin study, the 2 devices were compared in a simulated cardiac arrest where the initial step was exposure of the chest. The tests were performed using ambulance staff from 3 different ambulance organizations in Western Sweden. Six different types of clothing combinations were used. The primary choices of clothing for analyses were a knitted sweater and shirt (indoors) and a jacket with buttons, a shirt, and a college sweater (outdoors). RESULTS: The mean difference from onset of OHCA until the chest was exposed when S-CUT was compared with a pair of scissors varied between 6 seconds (P = .006) and 63 seconds (P = .004; shorter with the S-CUT), depending on the type of clothing that was used. The mean differences for the clothing that was chosen for primary analyses were 23 and 63 seconds, respectively. CONCLUSION: We found that a new device (S-CUT) used for exposing the chest in OHCA was associated with a marked shortening of procedure time as compared with a pair of scissors.

Subject headings

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Kardiologi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- Cardiac and Cardiovascular Systems (hsv//eng)

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Hälsovetenskap -- Hälso- och sjukvårdsorganisation, hälsopolitik och hälsoekonomi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Health Sciences -- Health Care Service and Management, Health Policy and Services and Health Economy (hsv//eng)

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)