Warm O2/Hypothermia PT

[mikeylikesit]

Dry off the patient, and the warm liquad if available is the best sine the steam warms the lungs and the liquad waarms the core. they don't even have to drink it to get some good effect from the steam of the drink. not too hot though or you got some more problems.

 

[csly27]

Depends on the pack and depends on the way its placed. I have an intense dislike of the standard issue EMS/FA heat packs. They heat up too high, burn out too fast out date quickly and are prone to puncture and accidental activation. I much prefer the slower heating foot and hand warmers sold in retail. They hold their heat longer and are a much more gentle heat. In SAR I carry ziplock bags of ordinary deicer. Added to water from your water bottle or any available water source (not necessarily drinkable water) they create a nice little heat pack placed in a plastic water bottle, nalgene bottle or other water carrying device. They are light and durable and don't get activated until you add the water.

If you are using the regular EMS hot packs, you need to carry some sort of wrap so the heat isn't in direct contact with the patient's skin. We carry rolled stockinette cut to fit. We have also used towels or face cloths to use as a barrier. Aside from that issue, if you keep the heat packs close to the core instead of at the extremeties, you should be fine.

Thanks that is good to know.

 

[emtfarva]

Another way to warm the O2

My instructor in Emt School said that If you want warm or cool O2 take xtra O2 tubing and place the tubing in a coil by the ambulance heater from the O2 source to coil by the Heater to the Pt. We don't have heatpacks in our service. Also the Heatpacks could warm the Pt up to fast. I always try to leave our truck running if at all possible. that keeps the truck, stretcher, my partners drugs, O2, B/P cuffs, scopes and everything else warm or cool.

 

[AlaskaEMT]

Warm saline IV if your ambulance has a warmer. (we have a fridge as well for cold NS). Get them in the box, warm oxygen, warm packs on neck, groin, and armpits. Consider wrapping their 02 tubing around your core if not in the ambulance. You should not use BP cuffs as it can damage cold tissue.

 

[Wyoming Medic]

Ummmmm :glare:

oxygen is a compressed gas. When it is in the tank it is at whatever temp the tank is at (in this case the temp of the ambulance). Whenever gas is let out of a compressed state it cools RAPIDLY. This is called Boyles (sp) law. It also works in the opposite. Whenever a gas is compressed rapidly it creates heat (Which is why SCBA cylinders and other gas cylinders are usually filled slowly). It is a process called ADIBATIC (sp again) heating and cooling.

I can assure you that keeping the oxygen tank near any heat source will have negligible effect on the temp of the oxygen that the patient is breathing. I would not worry about heating oxygen in the field and wait until you get to the hospital where they have actual oxygen heating systems. Systems that can control the temp of the oxygen safely. Even if you were to get any temp change (as in wrapping a coil of tubing in hot packs) there is no way to control it.

Another issue is that it actually changes the air density when a gas is heated. This can be explained by the fact that helicopters cannot fly here on really hot summer days nor small plane take off from the airport. The air density altitude is greatly diminished. This may not mean too much but when we deal with hypothermic patients, they are typically at altitudes nearing 10-12K feet. I want maximum oxygen efficiency. This is really a small issue but it should be understood. That is why water boils here around 190 Degrees F. Way less air density.

We deal with hypothermic patients often here in the rockies. I have many more things to worry about than attempting to jury rig a contraption together that may or may not heat the oxygen in a non controllable manner.

Until next time, same bat time, same bat channel h34r:

Wy medic

 

[Wyoming Medic]

Sorry, Just re-read my post above. Air pressure is why water boils at such a low temp. The rest of the items are density.