LUKAS compressor/resuscitation device

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Specializes in multispecialty ICU, SICU including CV.

We just recently got a couple of those LUKAS compression thingies and the rapid response team is carrying them to respond to codes with and they are also on the shelf in the ICU to use. We have had really good success with them. I just heard from one of our residents today that they used it at another hospital they rotate to and the patient got liver and spleen lacerations from it's use and needed emergency surgery (the device migrated down?) Holy crap! Anybody else with really bad outcomes with this?

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Ortho, ASC.

I just saw these (if I'm understanding correctly) in use on Boston Medical and I was fascinated. I'm very curious about the responses here.

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Specializes in Med/Surg.

Me too roser! I was like "What is that thingy?....it's so cool!" Of course my hospital is too poor to ever have one.

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Specializes in critical care, PACU.

we have one and never use it. it's supposed to float between our ICUs to test it out, but no one ever thinks to use it when stuff hits the fan

also, Id advice putting it on while wearing gloves. I was testing it out, and both me and the guy hawking the thing scraped our fingers on some sharp part of the plastic when trying to apply it to the patient. gross!

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Specializes in multispecialty ICU, SICU including CV.
we have one and never use it. it's supposed to float between our ICUs to test it out, but no one ever thinks to use it when stuff hits the fan

also, Id advice putting it on while wearing gloves. I was testing it out, and both me and the guy hawking the thing scraped our fingers on some sharp part of the plastic when trying to apply it to the patient. gross!

Little green SICU RN,

I never participate in a code without gloves. Period. :D

You're so cute!

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Specializes in ICU and EMS.

The fire department that I volunteer with uses the Zoll Autopulse (after many years of the archaic thumper). I'm not familiar with the brand that you mentioned, but what I found in researching compression devices is that if not applied correctly (or the patient shifts), then yes, there is the potential for abdominal organ damage. I know that some brands will alert when it is not applied to the patient correctly.

Boy do I love that Autopulse!! Anything that saves me from doing compressions for an hour in the back of an ambulance gets high marks from me!!

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Specializes in Been there, done that!.

It's been awhile since I've worked ER, so I was curious about these devices. Zoll and Lukas both have websites with instructional videos. The Zoll Autopulse looks great-their site even has video taken in the cath lab showing increased perfusion with the Zoll versus manual compressions.With hospitals counting every bean, I doubt if too many will spring for equipment this expensive, at least in my part of the country.

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Specializes in multispecialty ICU, SICU including CV.

How expensive is it? I had no clue it was a lot of money. Several hospitals in my area have bought a few.

We as well have had notably better compression waveforms and B/Ps with the LUKAS device than with manual compressions.

The LUKAS comes with a strap that goes around the back of the patient's neck and connects to the device to make sure it doesn't migrate down. I wonder if in the situation in my OP at this other institution they used it.

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