Abstract
Aim
The primary purpose of an avalanche airbag is to prevent burial during an avalanche.
Approximately twenty percent of avalanche victims deploying airbags become critically
buried, however. One avalanche airbag actively deflates three minutes after deployment,
potentially creating an air pocket. Our objective was to evaluate this air pocket
and its potential to prevent asphyxiation.
Methods
Twelve participants were fitted with an airbag and placed prone on the snow. Participants
deployed the airbag and were buried in 1.5 m of snow for 60 min with vital signs including
oxygen saturation (SpO2) and end-tidal CO2 (ETCO2) measured every minute. Participants
completed a post-burial survey to determine head movement within the air pocket.
Results
Eleven of the 12 participants (92%) completed 60 min of burial. Preburial baseline
SpO2 measurements did not change significantly over burial time (P > 0.05). Preburial
baseline ETCO2 measurements increased over the burial time (P < 0.02); only one ETCO2
value was outside of the normal ETCO2 range (35–45 mmHg). Participants reported they
could move their head forward 11.2 cm (SD 4.8 cm) and backward 6.6 cm (SD 5.1 cm)
with the majority of participants stated that they had enough head movement to separate
the oral cavity from opposing snow if necessary. Visual examination during extrication
revealed a well-defined air pocket in all burials.
Conclusion
The avalanche airbag under study creates an air pocket that appears to delay asphyxia,
which could allow extra time for rescue and improve overall survival of avalanche
victims.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: December 05, 2019
Accepted:
November 21,
2019
Received in revised form:
November 10,
2019
Received:
June 22,
2019
Publication stage
In Press Journal Pre-ProofIdentification
Copyright
© 2019 Published by Elsevier B.V.
ScienceDirect
Access this article on ScienceDirectLinked Article
- Reconsidering the air pocket around mouth and nose as a positive outcome predictor in completely buried avalanche victimsResuscitationVol. 152
- PreviewWe read with interest the experimental study investigating the ability of an avalanche airbag with active deflation to create a post-burial air pocket (any space of air around the mouth and nose) thereby delaying asphyxiation and prolonging survival.1 Candidates were placed in prone position into an artificial trough and were breathing in a mouthpiece of an inhalation/exhalation separator through two 1-way valves into the air-pocket created by the post-burial actively deflating avalanche airbag.
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