Bulletin

Issue: October 2004

News

Exact breath of life

New technology to improve the accuracy and safety of a device used to train doctors and nurses in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) has been developed by La Trobe Bachelor of Electronic Engineering and Master of Biomedical Engineering student, Rebecca Hendry.

Norway's Laerdal Foundation has granted Ms Hendry $10,000 to have the first prototype ready by the end of this year.

Called 'Flexible Instrument for Resuscitation Simulated Training' (FIRST) the equipment is fitted to Resusci Baby, a Norwegian-manufactured soft plastic 'manikin' the size and shape of a new-born full-term baby. It is part of a range of manikins, from babies to children and adults, used by trainee health workers, lifeguards and first-aiders to learn correct resuscitation techniques.

Ms Hendry says trainees hold a mask over the manikin's face attached to a self inflating bag which, when squeezed, puts pressure into the lungs and expands them - the equivalent of a breath of air.

Two techniques can be used: one involving two fingers to depress one third of the chest and a second, using two thumbs to stimulate the heart if it has stopped. Currently, the only way trainees can gauge the effect of their CPR technique on the manikin's 'lungs' is by watching the level to which the chest has expanded.

Ms Hendry's electronic device - which contains three pressure sensors, one differential and two absolute, and a depth sensor - will do this more accurately, ensuring that the lungs have been properly filled with air, and that the chest has been compressed by the required one-third to stimulate the heart. The device is linked to a computer where the resuscitation is evaluated using wave forms and statistics, information that can be saved if a record is required.

Once students have developed their skill on the Resusci Baby, they can graduate to working with live patients in the knowledge that their technique is good.

Ms Hendry says she developed the idea for her device while doing industry experience at the Royal Women's Hospital. The project is supervised by La Trobe lecturer in Electronic Engineering, Dr Paul Junor.

Ms Hendry was also recently appointed as the student representative for Victoria on the Society for Medical and Biological Engineers.

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