As a medical flight paramedic, you would understand that many patients could have been saved if only you had the right equipment. Many air ambulance planes operate on charity and may not have sufficient equipment aside from the basics. If air ambulance operators can afford to supply their aircrafts with high-tech devices, however, portable ultrasounds are a crucial addition.
Importance of Portable Ultrasounds on Medical Flight Aircrafts
If your air ambulance aircraft is equipped with a portable ultrasound, here are some of the ways you can make use of it:
- Identifying OB emergencies – Pre-hospital ultrasound can be used to identify emergency cases like placenta abruption and ectopic pregnancy with around 95% accuracy.
- Confirming airway placement – A portable ultrasound can help you confirm the correct placement of endotracheal tube for airway management. Using this device, you will have better accuracy in differentiating main tracheal intubation from right mainstream intubation.
- Identifying dyspnea causes – With the help of a field ultrasound device, you can more accurately determine the cause of acute dyspnea. You will have a better idea whether it was caused by chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or pulmonary edema.
- Better evaluation of cardiac motion – Medical flight paramedics strive to safely deliver patients to the appropriate medical facility. But in many cases, lack of equipment may prevent you from thoroughly evaluating cardiac motion. This may result in incorrect pre-hospital treatment procedures.
But with a field ultrasound, you should be able to have better accuracy in evaluating cardiac motion. This can help you with correct diagnosis and treatment procedures, increasing the survival to hospital admission.
- Diagnosing strokes – An ultrasonic device can also help you accurately diagnose time-sensitive conditions like strokes. Timely stroke diagnosis can also ensure the transportation of the patient to the appropriate stroke center for specialized treatment.
