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Evergreen paramedics have a new tool against shock

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Contributed by: Einar Jensen on 1/23/2007

Patients with serious injuries and illnesses generally experience shock in addition to those primary medical problems. Shock can be deadly, which is why Evergreen Fire Rescue's paramedics are excited about their new EZ-IO Drivers, a new tool that will help them (and their patients) delay or avoid shock.

Shock, which can be deadly, can be caused by loss of fluid, damage to blood vessels, damage to the pump (heart) or insufficient oxygen. Common causes include trauma and its associated bleeding, heart failure and dehydration.

Paramedics and other medical providers often combat shock by augmenting the body's fluids, thus increasing its volume with intravenous (IV) fluids. However, serious cases of shock cause vessels to collapse as a way to move blood away from injuries and infections and to the brain and other core organs.

Collapsed vessels complicate the delivery of IV fluids, but not all vessels collapse in such cases. Vessels within bones maintain their integrity.

Paramedics now have EZ-IO Drivers to deliver fluids (and medications) intraosseusly -- through the bone. These tools have existed for decades, but only recently have been added to local paramedics' tool kits and skill sets to improve patient treatment.

For patients with collapsed vessels, paramedics will use the Driver to drill through the skin and upper end of the tibia, a few centimeters below the kneecap, quickly accessing the vein inside that bone.

"It's a fantastic life-saving tool in an emergency," said Paramedic Tony Shepperdson.

The EZ-IO Driver looks and sounds like a drill from your garage, but it's a special device that belongs in the "don't-try-this-at-home" file.

Our paramedics learned how to use it at their continuing education training in January, as paramedics in other agencies have done in the last few months.

"Any opportunity for us to treat our patients and community better is an opportunity that we cannot pass up," said Nick Boukas, EMS Coordinator for Evergreen Fire Rescue. "This device gives us another tool as we strive to stay on the cutting edge of premium prehospital care."

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CONTRIBUTOR INFORMATION

Einar Jensen

Evergreen , CO

Einar Jensen has posted 162 stories and 6 comments since joining on 9/21/2005. Einar Jensen 's average story rating is 4.99.

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