Vacuum rail material
Vacuum splint material is used in the rescue service to immobilize fractures and to gently transport the patient if there is a suspicion or if it is certain. It consists of an airtight shell and a loose filling made of plastic beads. In the initial state, the splint material is soft and malleable. It is modeled on the patient's body / part and evacuated with a suction pump . The small balls are pressed together tightly by the negative pressure and the splint becomes hard. This immobilizes the fracture and protects the patient from further injuries during transport.
The vacuum splint material is radiolucent and can remain on the patient until a final assessment by a specialist .
Vacuum rail
The vacuum splint is available in the appropriate sizes for injuries to arms or legs.
It is placed around the injured part of the patient's body and fixed with straps with Velcro or buckles and suctioned off.
There are different doctrines about the use of closed splints for open fractures. Mainly it is about the questions:
- Is pressure applied to the ends of the bones? Vacuum rail material shrinks slightly due to evacuation.
- Is it possible to observe the wound? Regarding bleeding that cannot be seen through a closed splint.
Vacuum mattress
The vacuum mattress is used to treat injuries to larger bones ( thighs ) and on the torso ( spine , pelvis ). In the ambulance service, the nickname peanut bed is also widespread due to its similarity to vacuum-packed nuts .
The patient is placed on the vacuum mattress with a scoop stretcher.
For transport, the vacuum mattress is placed on a stretcher or scoop stretcher to prevent it from sagging. It is equipped with straps and handles and can also be used for short distances if necessary.
In conjunction with a scoop stretcher, it is possible to turn a patient lying on their stomach on their back using the "sandwich" method, keeping their axes aligned and with little movement. With this method, the vacuum mattress is placed on the patient, the scoop stretcher is pushed underneath and fixed accordingly. After rotating around the horizontal axis, the patient lies on his back in the vacuum mattress.
Like the scoop stretcher, vacuum mattress is in all ambulances and emergency ambulance available. In the Anglo-American region, a spine board is usually used instead of the combination of a scoop stretcher and a vacuum mattress .
In hospitals, special vacuum mattresses are used as operating table supports so that patients do not slip during operations with a tilted table or maintain a certain position, especially in endoscopy .