Resuscitation - stabilization of the patient
Resuscitation means a set of emergency measures used to restore vital functions to a patient who has experienced cardiac arrest and/or respiratory arrest – cardiorespiratory arrest. The main goal is to deliver additional amounts of oxygen to the brain, heart, and other vital organs until more complex medical procedures establish adequate cardiac action and spontaneous breathing.
Every resuscitation starts with something we call Basic life support, that is. the basic actions we take to re-establish the patient’s vital functions. It is very important that the approach to each patient is team-based and well-trained, that each person participating in the resuscitation process knows exactly what its task is and that there is a team leader who coordinates the entire process.
When performing resuscitation, most procedures are performed simultaneously, and therefore coordination is very important, but regardless of that, there is a sequence of procedures that are performed, and include the following:
- Checking and establishing airway patency (Airway) – To allow oxygen to reach the lungs, it is very important to check if there is anything blocking the airways. The animal needs to be intubated and thus enable manual ventilation to begin with. If there is an airway obstruction that cannot be removed immediately, a tracheotomy should be performed.
- Breathing – after the animal is intubated, it is necessary to manually with the help of an ambu-bag or through a mechanical fan Insert fresh air into the patient’s lungs
- Establishment of circulation (Circulation) – the beginning of resuscitation of the cardiovascular system implies compression of the chest of the animal, and the method of performance will depend on the type and size of the animal. Cardiac muscle massage, in addition to the indirect method of chest compression, can also be achieved by direct heart massage in the animal’s thorax.
In addition to Basic life support, which is the introduction and beginning of the resuscitation process, access to advanced resuscitation techniques – Advanced life support, which involves the use of certain drugs and devices (defibrillators) in order to restore spontaneous circulation and stabilize the cardiopulmonary system and normalizes the flow of oxygen to tissues and cells.