Thorax Thermal Blanket TM

EMS personel are trained in prevention of hypothermia

In real life, EMS personel oftenforget to take care of or prevent hypothermia .

Windchill factor

Degrees 15 10 5 0 -5 -10 -15 -20 -25

m/s0 15 10 5 0 -5 -10 -15 -20 -252 15 9 5 -1 -6 -11 -16 -21 -264 12 5 0 -6 -12 -18 -24 -30 -366 10 3 -3 -10 -16 -23 -29 -36 428 8 1 -6 -13 -19 -26 -33 -40 -47

10 7 0 -7 -15 -22 -29 -36 -43 -5012 6 -1 -9 -16 -23 -31 -38 -46 -5314 6 -2 -10 -17 -25 -32 -40 -47 -5516 5 -3 -10 -18 -26 -33 -41 -49 -57

A traditional blanket is okay if no other alternatives are available. But at times it is not sufficient.

Studies show that:

Trauma patients are in the high risk group for hypothermia. Loss of blood and reduced blood circulation due to muscle and nerve damages are contributory causes to mortality combined with the low outdoor temperature.

Hypothermia reduces blood’s ability to coagulate. Consequently, haemorrhage is increased and the risk is greater for the patient to die from internal haemorrhage.

American research has shown that in cases where patients are exposed to a mild degree of hypothermia during surgery, (34-36 celsius), the haemorrhage increase by 16% pr. degree the temperature drops.(Anesthesiology, v 108, No 1; Jan 2008)

Swedish research show that 98 % of trauma patients have a temperature below 36 celsius, irrespective of the time of year. It also has also shown that children and older people in particular are having difficulties adjusting the temperature.(Lene Stevens. Trauma 2000 Stockholm)

Hypothermia influences the condition of the patient and affects many body systems.

This is some of the complications: complication of the illness or the injuries longer hospital stays more suffering for the patient increased costs.

In the US approx. 150,000 people die from trauma on an annual basis. Of these 700 deaths are caused by hypothermia. (Hypothermia. University of Maryland MEDICAL CENTER)

Today, all trauma centres pay attention to the problem connected with reduced temperature. Therefore it is important for the EMS personel to keep the patients warm and prevent hypothermia at all times.

Hypothermia is especially seen with people influenced by alcohol, during leisure hours, drowning/near drowning, people with medical diseases, trauma and patients with burns.

Why do EMS personel often forget to perform an efficient hypothemia prevention?

At times wrapping is difficult

Takes a lot of time

Makes treatment difficult

The packaging is too time-consuming in stressful situations.

If EMS personel have to use products that prevent hypothermiathe products have to:

be quick to use and efficient be durable be able to stay on the patient in case of poor and windy weather conditions be easy to loosen and secure again to ensure easy access in the continuing treatment of the patient be ready for use immediately be available in different sizes so it fits all patients be made of a disposable material be able to fasten securely on the patient when the patient is moved be able to increase the patient’s survival chance.

Preventing and treating hypothermia in a patient using ”Thorax Thermal Blanket TM”

” Thorax Thermal Blanket TM” used on a trauma patient

Prevention of hypothermia and shock before the ambulance arrives.

What does the users say?

Kjeld Brogaard, EMT-PFalck Ambulance SpecialistRegional ManagerRegion Northern Jutland:

”Therm Aid has developed a thermal blanket for treating and preventing hypothemia in patients exposed to cold conditions, that has many advantages compared with the methods we use today”.

Consultant Doctor Morten Freundlich:Anaesthisia sector Northern Jutland – 4th Department

”In one case (drowning accident) I have had the opportunity toto test the above product which seems to be promising bothfrom a functional and an ergonomic point of view.”

EMT-I Karsten Jensen:Ambulance station Brønderslev.

”I can strongly recommend the Thorax Thermal Blanket. You save much time and I think it is more efficient than the foil blankets. I can only recommend that it is something you introduce in the ambulance service as it will help us a lot”.

Consultant Doctor Bjarne Møller:Health Center Northern Jutland/Military sanitation

”In my evaluation Therm Aid has developed a really good product for wrapping the cold damaged people and to prevent such damages. I clearly consider your blanket to have a good future both in the prehospital environment but also in the maritime environment in military sanitation.”

Hypothermia at -18 celsius

Thorax Thermal Blanket has been tested in a CT scanner.The staff experienced no problems in using the blanket in a scanner or in X-rayexamination.

Thorax Thermal Blanket TM

The efficient blanket for cold wrap