Air Splints

[Ped101]

Hi again xD


We have recently (well not so recently) taken the airsplints off of your splint sets in the ambulance, because of them beeing highly unhygenic since the split had to be blown up by mouth

Do you people still use these? Are they really that much more effective than the regular splints?

 

[akflightmedic]

Wow!

I for once am speechless, splints inflated by mouth and reusable.....this is 2009 right?

 

[Shishkabob]

We have recently (well not so recently) taken the airsplints off of your splint sets in the ambulance

What are you doing in my ambulance?!



But, as medic said... kind of archaic, don't ya think?

 

[PapaBear434]

Wow, really? By mouth? They couldn't even give you a $5 foot pump and an adapter piece? Yuck.

We have a MAST pants on our truck, but I don't think I've ever used them. Too many contrications for me, and I would rather just use the scoop stretcher when possible. But hey, there may be a time where I'd find myself doing it, someday, and it'd be nice to have the option.

 

[Afflixion]

He works for a volunteer ambulance service in Mexico. If their rigs are anything like the ones I've seen in Cd. Juarez i'm surprised they have air splints to begin with.

To answer the question... the service I worked for used vacuum splints not air splints but imho it's about personal preference on what type of splint to use though some fx call for different splints but generall y I perfer good ole' SAM splints for just about everything.

 

[Epi-do]

I perfer good ole' SAM splints for just about everything.

Let me just say I am jealous. My choices consist of ladder splints, cardboard splints, and padded board splints when it comes to any sort of ready-made splint.

 

[Ped101]

Volunteer people, volunteeer


The Airsplints we have were a donation from US, and they didnt come with the adapters or anything so the doners just said: inflate with your mouths...


Sad, very sad, but true

 

[djmedic913]

Working in the Northeast...both New England and in Buffalo, NY...air splints don't work...

in the winter when it is freezing temps and the back of the rig where the temp is cranked or in the ER where it is room temp, the temp will screw around with the inflation...goes the same in the summer with outside heat and the ambulance cranked AC...

really not feasible for our changing climates and temps up here...

 

[ResTech]

No service that I am affiliated with uses air splints. I prefer vacuum splints or padded board splints. My mouth isnt touching anything on an ambulance

 

[chute43]

Some of the ski patrol still use them but they are kind of out of touch with the real EMS world, I am speaking for the local ski area, not all ski patrols.

They are not allowed by our medical director because of the fear of over inflation of the splint, which could cause pressure necrosis. Some like to argue the point but until they become the medical director it doesn't change.

I have heard they can work well for hemorrhage control in some situations but still we dont have them.

Vaccum splints are allowed and fairly expensive when compared to cardboard.

kary

 

[Ridryder911]

Wow, really? By mouth? They couldn't even give you a $5 foot pump and an adapter piece? Yuck.

We have a MAST pants on our truck, but I don't think I've ever used them. Too many contrications for me, and I would rather just use the scoop stretcher when possible. But hey, there may be a time where I'd find myself doing it, someday, and it'd be nice to have the option.

Not to be rude, but you obviously never seen air splints or know much about PASG. There is only one true contraindication. More and more studies are now displaying that they do indeed aid in treatment if used properly with different protocols that as used at one time.


Air Splints has not been popular in most EMS services for several decades (not because of the hygeine) for the reason is the extremity has to be straight, the plastic will crack and cause tear/leakage and other factors such as pressure changes. Many replaced with vacuum splints.

R/r 911

 

[PapaBear434]

Not to be rude, but you obviously never seen air splints or know much about PASG. There is only one true contraindication. More and more studies are now displaying that they do indeed aid in treatment if used properly with different protocols that as used at one time.


Air Splints has not been popular in most EMS services for several decades (not because of the hygeine) for the reason is the extremity has to be straight, the plastic will crack and cause tear/leakage and other factors such as pressure changes. Many replaced with vacuum splints.

R/r 911

True enough. We have them, but never used them with the exception of training. We are so close to a hospital no matter where we are in the city, there really isn't a reason to do the whole procedure to put the thing on.

I think the longest I have had to travel from a patient location to a hospital, going priority 3, is 15 minutes. Going lights and siren, I could cut that in half. Just much easier to board, splint, compress and run.

I would likely use it for shock if they were already going in that direction when we got there, but I've been pretty lucky so far.

 

[chute43]

I think you said the key thing being used properly, we all knowthe kind of person who thinks if 10 psi is good 15 psi has to be better, which is why happend in the region I work in.

Another classic example of mis-use hurting our ability to render the best care.

kary