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Airway & ventilation
Transport ventilation during CPR feasible in pilot
Transport mechanical ventilation during cardiopulmonary resuscitation in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest: an exploratory prehospital pilot study
BMC Emergency Medicine · 2026-07-29 · Added 28 October 2026
A Thai exploratory pilot compared transport mechanical ventilation (HAMILTON-T1, volume-controlled) with bag-valve ventilation during CPR in adult OHCA and found no significant differences in PCO2, pH, pO2, sustained ROSC or 28-day survival, with mechanical ventilation operationally feasible.
- Study type
- Other
- Design
- Prospective, time-sequenced exploratory pilot (6 months bag-valve, then mechanical ventilation)
- Participants
- 41 adults with OHCA (29 bag-valve, 12 mechanical ventilation)
- Main finding
- No significant differences in PCO2, pH or pO2, sustained ROSC or 28-day survival between groups; mechanical ventilation feasible despite implementation challenges
- Caveat
- Exploratory pilot, not powered for clinical outcomes, and the unequal groups (29 vs 12) were sequential rather than randomised
- Bottom line
- Hypothesis-generating
Why it matters in Australia (Medium relevance). Transport ventilators for ongoing CPR are a critical care capability rather than standard kit on most Australian ambulances, and drug-assisted intubation is an intensive care paramedic skill in most services — but this is exactly the crew the findings speak to.
Learning goal
Weigh the benefits and practical challenges of mechanical ventilation during transport CPR in adult cardiac arrest.
More
- Topic: Airway & ventilation
- Daily scan: 28 October 2026
- Podcast: Paramedic Papers Daily, 28 October 2026
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