Evaluation of respiratory function during Reeves stretcher use.

Area of Science:

• Emergency medicine
• Respiratory physiology
• Biomedical engineering

Background:

• Prehospital care often involves patient movement using devices like the Reeves stretcher (RS).
• Anecdotal evidence suggested potential respiratory compromise in patients moved with an RS.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate whether the Reeves stretcher (RS) increases respiratory effort in healthy subjects.
• To quantify changes in respiratory parameters and physiological responses during RS use.

Main Methods:

• A randomized crossover study involving 39 healthy subjects.
• Respiratory rate, minute ventilation, tidal volume, heart rate, and pulse oximetry were measured.
• Subjects were assessed supine on the floor and suspended in the RS for 3 minutes.

Main Results:

• Suspension in the RS led to statistically significant increases in respiratory rate (p=0.007) and minute ventilation (p=0.03).
• No significant differences were observed in tidal volume, heart rate, pulse oximetry, or perceived breathing difficulty (Borg scale).

Conclusions:

• The Reeves stretcher (RS) causes modest but statistically significant increases in respiratory rate and minute ventilation in healthy individuals.
• These findings suggest that the RS could exacerbate respiratory distress in vulnerable patient populations.