[Emergency measures at the site of the accident from the anesthesiologist's viewpoint]

Within the scope of emergency medicine nearly every arrest of respiration and circulation must be treated in its critical phase by clearing the airways, artificial respiration and external cardiac compression. Chances for a successful cardiopulmonary resuscitation can be essentially improved, if the lifesaving emergency-treatment is improved by suitable technical measures. Start of an intravenous infusion, suctioning the airways with techniques, insertion of oropharyngeal airways, intratracheal intubation or in special cases coniotomy and transtracheal insufflation improve the chances of oxygenation. Simultaneously must be treated complicating accident effects as pneumothorax and shock. Additional administration and intravenous or intratracheal application of sympathicomimetic drugs, counteraction of acidosis with sodium bicarbonat often are the only possibility to continue successfully the cardiopulmonary resuscitation. In scope of emergency care the electrical external defibrillation is for treatment of fibrillation the best method to be applied.