Defibrillation safety in emergency helicopter transport

Area of Science:

• Emergency Medicine
• Aviation Safety
• Cardiology

Background:

• Rotary aircraft are increasingly used for critical care transport.
• Concerns exist regarding the safety of in-flight defibrillation due to confined spaces and electronic equipment.
• Helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS) require clear safety protocols for advanced procedures.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the safety of performing defibrillation during helicopter transport.
• To measure transient leakage current during airborne defibrillation.
• To evaluate in-flight electronic interference and survey existing helicopter defibrillation practices.

Main Methods:

• Measurement of transient leakage current from a standard defibrillator.
• Testing for electronic interference with avionics and medical equipment during flight.
• Survey of helicopter programs regarding their in-flight defibrillation experience.

Main Results:

• Maximum transient leakage current measured was 1.5 mA, significantly below the 50 mA safety standard.
• No interference was detected with avionics or onboard medical equipment during flight.
• 87% of surveyed helicopter programs reported successful in-flight defibrillation without incident.

Conclusions:

• Airborne defibrillation is a safe procedure in helicopters, both on the ground and in flight.
• Standard defibrillation precautions are sufficient to ensure safety during helicopter operations.
• The study supports the routine use of defibrillation in helicopter emergency medical services.