[Radioactivity in emergency medical services : Dealing with irradiation incidents-Brief guidelines for management]. / Radioaktivität im Rettungsdienst : Umgang mit Strahlenunfällen ­ ein kurzer Handlungsleitfaden.

Due to the legal regulations radiation incidents in nuclear or medical/industrial facilities are rare events. Radiation incidents are much more common in the context of road traffic accidents when sources of radiation are being transported. The handling of radiation victims is accompanied by strong feelings of fear and anxiety due to the rarity of such events and the physical characteristics of radioactive irradiation. This cannot be detected by human senses and the effects are not immediately visible. The risk and threat of radiation for rescue personnel and in hospitals can be overcome by a solid basic knowledge and by following some simple rules. This continuing medical education article imparts the necessary principles and based on an algorithm demonstrates the safe approach at the scene of the accident and the handling and transfer of the patient to the hospital. Moreover, it highlights further services and support by regional radiation protection centers.

[Orientation for emergency and law enforcement personnel in internal threat situations in hospitals : Are guidance and orientation systems needed for hospitals?] / Orientierung für Einsatzkräfte bei internen Gefahrenlagen im Krankenhaus : Brauchen wir Leit- und Orientierungssysteme für Krankenhäuser?

BACKGROUND: Emergency exit and escape routes in public buildings, such as schools, hospitals and administrative offices are controlled by legal rules and regulations. Thereby escape from the building is very well organized in cases of internal threats (e.g. fire, active shooter and hostage situations). Complex buildings with numerous rooms are a special challenge to emergency and law enforcement personnel. Without additional means of orientation a targeted localization of the incident is not possible in many cases. MATERIAL AND METHODS: An extended literature search for guidance and building orientation systems, which enable an intuitive orientation and guidance for emergency personnel was performed. RESULTS: Only three German systems were identified that enable orientation and reliable guidance of emergency personnel within buildings. All three systems, i.e. uniform orientation system schools (EOS), color guidance system (FLS) and the Gütersloh model (GM) were derived from shooting incidents in schools in 2009. Based on a systematic labeling of all rooms, stairways, exits and entrances, ad hoc orientation and guidance of law enforcement and emergency personnel is possible. CONCLUSION: For targeted localization of an internal incident there only seem to be three German systems worldwide that enable an intuitive and immediate orientation and guidance within buildings. An increasing threat of worldwide terrorism and the fact that hospitals are seen as crucial infrastructures for attacks by terrorists make the implementation of guidance and orientation systems in hospitals urgently necessary. This is the first review dealing with this topic.

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation: when guidelines provide no answers.

Out of hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) is encountered on a regular basis in prehospital care. Specific guidelines exist for cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Guidelines cover most related situations but cannot cover all of them. This article reports on a 71-year-old man who suffered an OHCA. Persisting gasping and recurrent ventricular fibrillation made the prehospital management difficult and imposed challenges on the whole team. The guidelines provided no answers to this specific situation. Wittingly, the emergency physician decided to abandon the standard approach. Based on this case, this article discusses the pathophysiological considerations and an approach deviating from the standard approach, which could have led to a positive patient outcome without casting doubt on the current resuscitation guidelines.

[Modified two-rescuer resuscitation algorithm. Alternative for international missions of the German Armed Forces!]. / Modifizierter Zweihelferreanimationsalgorithmus. Alternative im Auslandseinsatz der Bundeswehr!

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to examine whether it is possible to perform resuscitation according to the present European Resuscitation Council (ERC) guidelines with a modified algorithm in the case of special, e.g. military, circumstances. On international missions of the German Armed Forces a rescue team only consists of an emergency physician and a paramedic. As the German Armed Forces require the same means of medical aid for all soldiers on every type of mission worldwide the algorithm must meet the ERC requirements. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In the study 20 medical teams specialized in resuscitation were examined. Of these teams 10 were from the German Armed Forces (the physician is a certified emergency physician) and 10 were civilian (the emergency physicians had up to 28 years experience). Each team was monitored as they performed resuscitation on a simulator for a period of 10 min. The patient's airway was secured by a laryngeal tube (LT) and over-the-head chest compressions were performed by the emergency physician. During resuscitation both team members held their position. In addition to comparing all results to the ERC guidelines both groups were analyzed separately and compared to each other. RESULTS: The median time needed for securing the airway was 17 s without any differences between the 2 groups. In 75% of the cases the time needed for successfully securing the airway on the first attempt was less than the allowed 30 s. In 5 cases (25%) the teams did not manage to successfully install the LT during the first attempt (4 failed attempts were performed by civilian teams and 1 by the military emergency teams); however, all 5 teams were successful at the second attempt. In the cases where the placement of the LT was not successful at the first attempt the time required for the final and successful placement was nevertheless less than 40 s. During the 10 min resuscitation procedure the hands-off fraction was on average 22.4%. No differences between the two groups were noted concerning the hands-off time (133.5 s for the civilian teams and 134.5 s for the teams of the German Armed Forces). The frequency of chest compressions was above the required 100/min (for the civilian teams 110/min and for the teams of the German Armed Forces 116.5/min). CONCLUSION: During military missions of the German Armed Forces there are no other options to perform resuscitation than by performing this procedure with only two rescuers. Using the algorithm in a modified way securing of the airway with an LT, the performance of over-the-head chest compressions and an effective resuscitation with advanced cardiac life support according to the ERC guidelines of 2005 are feasible even with 2 rescuers. Using the LT instead of endotracheal intubation to secure the airway particularly contributed to shortening the hands-off time.