vacuum imobilization (how to)

[Carolinacub]

At the beginning of this season we got 2 of the vacuum immobilization units to basically replace backboarding patients on the mountain. We've been working with them pretty regularly and IMHO I like them a lot.
1) it can be quite a bit quicker than putting them on a backboard and then spider strapping etc. and
2) it's much more comfortable for the patient physically and
3) it's much more comfortable for the patient mentally.
One of the issues that I see is that the mat is much wider than a backboard so it's harder to get a patient on it and centered easily. If you do a log roll they are off centered and if you do a lift the lifters are pretty far apart and it's a pretty big strain to lift the patient. The other option is to do a drag but honestly unless it's absolutely necessary I really hesitate dragging people.
1) What are some of the solutions to these issues that you have used.
2) are there issues that we are going to run into that we haven't foreseen.

Thanks in advance
Paul
Wolf Ridge Ski Patrol

 

[CalG]

At the beginning of this season we got 2 of the vacuum immobilization units to basically replace backboarding patients on the mountain. We've been working with them pretty regularly and IMHO I like them a lot.
1) it can be quite a bit quicker than putting them on a backboard and then spider strapping etc. and
2) it's much more comfortable for the patient physically and
3) it's much more comfortable for the patient mentally.
One of the issues that I see is that the mat is much wider than a backboard so it's harder to get a patient on it and centered easily. If you do a log roll they are off centered and if you do a lift the lifters are pretty far apart and it's a pretty big strain to lift the patient. The other option is to do a drag but honestly unless it's absolutely necessary I really hesitate dragging people.
1) What are some of the solutions to these issues that you have used.
2) are there issues that we are going to run into that we haven't foreseen.

Thanks in advance
Paul
Wolf Ridge Ski Patrol

Some ideas here

We want to try the suck bags here as well. Budget and confidence........

 

[Carolinacub]

So the only thing I've seen that's different from what we do is that they partially suck out the air and then place the patient. I'll try that tomorrow when we do some more practice. By doing that I guess it would be more conductive to doing a lift or a log roll and ending up with the patient centered correctly. @CalG when you try one of these things I can almost guarantee that you'll be impressed.

 

[ZionPow]

We have suck bags at all of our top shacks. They are excellent for patient comfort. A lot of patrols are no longer using backboards. We have to option of using either.

 

[stan51]

We have one where I patrol. I don't know that it has been used on a real patient, yet. (We haven't had reason to, so far this year) My son-in-law, who patrols in LCC, has used one. He thought it worked well.
We still carry backboards in all of our toboggans. I think they still have a role in transferring non-mobile patients onto a toboggan.

 

[CalG]

So the only thing I've seen that's different from what we do is that they partially suck out the air and then place the patient. I'll try that tomorrow when we do some more practice. By doing that I guess it would be more conductive to doing a lift or a log roll and ending up with the patient centered correctly. @CalG when you try one of these things I can almost guarantee that you'll be impressed.

Yes, the post was made to demonstrate one solution to the "too wide" issue. The partial deflate that allows some pre shaping of the bag such as rolling up the edges.
Of course, that would make it more difficult to roll a patient up and then slide the board / suck bag under.

I am also interested in how the suck bag might be used for transport, if it can at all. Is it ridged enough to stabilize the patient when one of four or five bearers loses footing on a steep incline? Hard boards do that well, Call it averaging. ;-)

Also, when stiff with outside cold, is it easily determined to have maintained vacuum integrity? It would not be good to expect one level of performance during a patient transfer, and get another. Hard boards don't change...much.

 

[Carolinacub]

The other issue that came to mind with these was preventing cuts to the bag. In my head the easy solution was to make sure to have a blanket in the carry case not for the patient but to place in the sled prior to placing the patient in. I may be over thinking but better to over think than under.

I am also interested in how the suck bag might be used for transport, if it can at all. Is it ridged enough to stabilize the patient when one of four or five bearers loses footing on a steep incline? Hard boards do that well, Call it averaging. ;-)

so far in our practice sessions what I have seen is they are very rigid when deflated and the handles that are attached are actually easier to control than the cutouts on the backboards

We have suck bags at all of our top shacks. They are excellent for patient comfort. A lot of patrols are no longer using backboards. We have to option of using either.

We're the same right now. Until we all get comfortable with this technology we're going to keep options open.

 

[firebanex]

Our patrol procedures for placing a patient on the vac mats is the patient will assist us in moving themselves unless otherwise unable. The research behind this is that the patient will not move in a manner that will cause further harm to themselves. Most of the Alaska Region has done this for a few years now and it works.

The patient being off center after a logroll to place them on the vac mat should be a non-issue. If you are logrolling to get the patient on the vac mat, its incredibly easy to do a longitudinal drag to re-position them exactly how you would on a rigid backboard. Ski clothing + slick vinyl vac mat makes it so much easier than sliding on a backboard. Then of course partially deflate the mat and form the mat around the patient to cradle them in a position of comfort before fully deflating the mat to stabilize.

Asside from the slick nature of the mats on snow (just like a backboards) the vac mats are much easier to deal with when transporting a patient because of the straps and handles they use, I much prefer moving them to a backboard now, less strain on the patrollers because you can start with a grip that is so much higher above the ground rather than struggling to be lifting from the ground.

 

[Carolinacub]

So we played with it some more on Saturday. One of the solutions we looked at was to do a 2 pump deflation to slightly stiffen the bag and to shape the sides a bit then we did a lift and slid the bag into place just as if you were sliding a backboard under them. It worked very well. At that point we opened the valve back up to re-soften the bag and then formed the bag around the patient and did a full deflate. It Actually worked very well. We also did a partial deflate and formed the edges to where the bag was narrower and then were able to log roll to the correct position easily. Again at that point we opened the valve back up and then reformed it around the patient.
Our focus was on how to use it with a patient who would be unable to assist us in anyway.
@firebanex I absolutely agree on the ease of transporting vs the backboard. A lot of folks were worried about that aspect until we actually moved some folks around....Let's just say we made a few converts.
@stan51 If you haven't played with it yet you really need to get it out and try it.