Paramedics in Renfrew County are being commended by the trauma team lead at CHEO for their use of point of care ultrasounds. Chief Paramedic and Director of Emergency Services for the County of Renfrew, Michael Nolan, told members of the health committee that a point of care ultrasound was successfully used in a major trauma case involving a 13-year-old patient who was ejected from a snowmobile and run over by the machine.
Nolan says community paramedics in Renfrew County have been using point of care ultrasounds for a number of years. Point of care ultrasounds can be used as a rapid, reliable, diagnostic tool. Nolan notes the point of care ultrasound used by local paramedics is a device that fits in your pocket and can be used on an iPad.
Nolan says paramedics were able to diagnose intra-abdominal bleeding (free fluid), and a hemothorax and pneumothorax. Emergency crews bypassed local hospitals and went directly to CHEO where they were received by the trauma team. The Director of Emergency Services and Chief Paramedic notes in this specific case it reduced the amount of time to definitive care.
Nolan says in cases involving traumatic events, strokes or certain types of heart attacks, patients will be brought directly to the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) or the Ottawa Hospital Civic Campus.
Nolan says the point of care ultrasound helps in trauma cases so patients can be diagnosed in the field by paramedics and brought to the right place, the first time, in the least amount of time, so the damage or injury does not become irreparable.
(written by: Rudy Kadlec)