June 21, 2012 — Zoll Medical Corporation, a manufacturer of medical devices and related software solutions, announced that Oxford County EMS in Ontario, Canada, is the first emergency service in North America to use a new system that allows rescuers to defibrillate a heart without stopping chest compressions for defibrillation.
Four days after the 12 Zoll AutoPulse Plus systems and 18 Zoll E Series monitor/defibrillators were integrated on the service’s ambulances, the first use of one of the automated compression-defibrillation systems resulted in resuscitating a 57-year-old sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) victim. Integrating the AutoPulse Plus with an E Series enabled the victim’s heart to be shocked without the need to stop chest compressions.
Upgrading to the AutoPulse Plus system was the next obvious evolution for Oxford County EMS, which was the first service in Canada to begin using the AutoPulse six years ago.
Another key benefit of the AutoPulse/AutoPulse Plus is that it ensures the safety of paramedics in the back of a moving ambulance because they can be seatbelted in while chest compressions are delivered by the AutoPulse.
For more information: www.zoll.com