CAREvents CA

The threat of a chemical-agent release in a crowded area has presented new challenges over the last few years. This environment is as dangerous as that encountered during confined-space entry in an industrial setting involving atmospheres that are Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health (IDLH). The O-Two CAREvent^® CA chemical resuscitator has been developed to meet these challenges.

The O-Two CAREvent^® CA has only one external control. Chemical-agent and IDLH environments are considered so hazardous that the less the rescuer needs to do to ventilate the patient, the quicker the patient can be resuscitated and the greater the chance of patient survival. With the O-Two CAREvent^® CA, all that is required is to turn on the oxygen/air supply, apply the mask to the patient’s face, and secure the airway. The O-Two CAREvent^® CA will provide automatic ventilation to the non-breathing patient at a rate and volume designed to provide adequate oxygenation while reducing the risk of gastric insufflation, in accordance with current resuscitation guidelines.

The micro-pneumatic circuitry of the O-Two CAREvent^® CA requires no batteries or electrical supply to operate. Should the patient begin spontaneous breathing, the demand-breathing feature of the O-Two CAREvent^® CA allows the patient to breathe at his or her own rate and volume. The patient’s inspiratory effort, if adequate, will also cause the automatic circuit shut-off to stop the automatic cycling of the ventilator, allowing the patient to breathe at his or her own rate and volume. If the patient stops breathing again, automatic cycling will restart with no action required by the rescuer.

A manual override button is provided on the O-Two CAREvent^® CA to allow the provision of two breaths followed by 30 chest compressions during CPR, in accordance with current resuscitation guidelines. In addition, it can be used to supplement spontaneous ventilation if required. An additional feature of the O-Two CAREvent^® CA is its 2 L/min mask-purge bleed flow. This reduces the risk of the patient drawing toxic ambient air into the mask should a leak occur in the mask-to-face seal. By combining simplicity of operation with technological sophistication, the O-Two CAREvent^® CA provides trained individuals with a safe and effective means of providing artificial ventilation during respiratory arrest, which may occur during confined-space entry or a toxic chemical-agent release.

Accessories available for the O-Two CAREvent^® CA include the head harness system, which assists in maintaining a mask-to-face seal during extrication and transport and provides hands-free operation.

Also available are the deluxe transport ventilator circuit with a positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) port and the gurney clip, which allows the device to be attached to the handrail of a gurney or emergency stretcher during transport.