IO Bone Drill

[Firechic]

We just had training in using our newest "toy", an IO bone drill. I'm just wondering if any of you guys have used this drill and what were your experiences with it?
Thanks for the input!
:)

[Firechic]

Am I the only bone drilling medic? :huh:
If so....I'll let you know when I get to use one in the field!!
Night all!

[rescuecpt]

We can't bone drill in my county. The only IO's we can do are on peds less than 6yo, in the leg, with a big-ass needle. No chests - I've never seen some of the equipment people have been talking about here.

[Firechic]

Here is a link to see the IO bone drill:

http://www.bctechinc.com/portfolio.products.vidacare.html

And a link to see the sternal IO or FAST 1:

http://www.pyng.com/pym_index.html

Not too much fun if you can't see them!
Hope it helps!

[rescuecpt]

Looking at those are almost as bad as yesterday when I saw the length of the needle the dentist gives lidocaine with!

[Firechic]

That FAST 1 looks very intimidating to people who don't know what it is - somewhat of a medieval tool.
I used it one time on a patient and a cop happened to be peeking in the side of the ambulance - his eyes popped out and yelled, "What the h*ll is that???!!!!!"
We had to get him out of there to calm him down.... :P

[STIMMY]

We are using the sternal IO's and have the same reaction but have also had several good successes with its use. Bone drilling though seems a bit more intimidating than the Sternal IO. I guess it depends on the provider and what they like or dislike. Oh well!!

[PArescueEMT]

I have never drilled, but had a bone drilled in me recently. I have to tell you to sympathize with any patient. Not fun... and very painful.



:angry:

[rescuecpt]

OUCH!

My dad had cancer inside his humerous, they had to drill a hole and clean out the tumor, freeze everything with liquid nitrogen, then reconstruct the interior of the bone with a rod and cement. He was under general and out of work for a month!

What happened to you PArescueEMT?

[PArescueEMT]

I had to have a marrow test to rule out cancer. I was under local... but it still hurt like a mother. they aspirated soft marrow and later discovered that they didn't even need to bother. <_<

But the good news was that I am not going to die. Well... soon at least. ;)

[rescuecpt]

But the good news was that I am not going to die. Well... soon at least.

Glad to hear it!

[shug]

this is the #1 thing that makes my stomach churn, second ONLY to maggots. We are allowed to do IO's in Kansas City, and one suburb has a "spring loaded" IO gun. I haven't seen it personally, but heard that its pretty gnarly. Anything that keeps me from breaking a sweat trying to give fluids to a sick kid is alright by me and I wish we had more.

[Firechic]

We tried the "BIG" (bone injection gun) - didn't work very well for us and that's why we went to the drill.
Still haven't used it yet....I'll keep ya posted.
;)