Knowledge of Basic Life Support among Final Year Dental Students of BPKIHS

Introduction: The chance of survival of a victim after cardiac arrest/foreign-body airway obstruction is doubled by early institution of Basic Life Support (BLS). Besides medical doctors, dental doctors might also encounter the patients in emergency situation requiring BLS, especially during peripheral district teaching hospital posting in internship. Objectives: The objective of this study was to assess the level of knowledge about BLS among final year dental students of BPKIHS. Methodology: In this cross-sectional study, structured questionnaires were distributed to BDS final year students (purposive sampling, sample size=53). Each question responded correctly was awarded as point +1 and total points were calculated by adding all the correct answers. The collected data were entered in Microsoft excel 2010 and descriptive analysis was done by SPSS 16. Results: Out of 53 questionnaires distributed, 49 were responded and returned (response rate= 92.45%). Twenty participants were male and twenty-nine were female. Four participants had taken BLS training in the past. Only twenty participants scored ≥ 50% and none of the participant scored ≥75%. Only one question was responded correctly by 100% participants. Ten questions were responded correctly by ≥50% participants. Although 65.3% participants were aware about high quality CPR, only 49% knew the exact location of chest compression. The chest compression to ventilation ratio for each of single rescuer and two rescuers was known by 20 participants (40.8%) and 28 participants (57.1%) respectively. Conclusion: Knowledge of BLS is poor among BDS final year students.

Anti-Choking Suction Devices for Foreign Body Airway Obstruction in Children. Would Parents and Kindergarten Teachers be Able to Use Them Without Training?

There is limited scientific evidence on the brand-new suction anti-choking devices as alternative or complementary tools for the treatment of foreign body airway obstruction (FBAO). However, they are already available in some public places. With the hypothesis that laypersons would not use them properly we have carried out the present simulation study.A randomized crossover trial study in a simulated FBAO scenario was conducted. Forty-two parents and eight kindergarten staff without knowledge about anti-choking devices voluntarily participated. Participants had to solve a simulated FBAO situation in three randomized scenarios: 1) Following the current choking international guidelines, 2) Using the LifeVac® device, and 3) Using DeCHOKER® device, according to the instructions provided by manufacturers. Data from 51 participants (54.9% female) were analyzed. Higher success rate was achieved with the LifeVac® and DeCHOKER® devices in comparison with the standard FBAO protocol (median [IQR]: 100.0% [83.0-100.0], 100.0% [75.0-100.0], and 50% [38.0-75.0] respectively; p=0.004). No significant differences were observed between both anti-choking devices (p=0.796). The procedure time was significantly shorter with the LifeVac® device (p<0.001).Conclusion: Untrained laypeople, under simulated conditions, are able to properly handle LifeVac® and DeCHOKER® anti-choking devices according to the manufacturer’s instructions in less than one minute. However, they have difficulties to perform the current recommended choking protocol. Further studies are needed to confirm whether the new devices could have a role in the FBAO management.

Elderly and Children Are Not The Only Victims of Foreign Body Airway Obstruction in Italy (A National Media-Based Survey)

Choking is a relevant public health problem. Data in medical literature are scarce and fatal events are dramatically under-reported.The aim of this manuscript is to give a real estimation of this problem and to raise awareness about this topic.Materials and methods. All deaths caused by choking reported by Italian Mass Media over a two years period were collected. Suspected sudden infant death syndrome was an exclusion criteria.Results. 76 deaths due to foreign body airway obstruction were identified, 51% during 2018 and 49% in 2019, without identifiable time clusters. Choking affected every age, including pre-scholar children (25%), children 6 to 18 years old (3%), adults (38%), and elderly patients (34%). Witnessed cases were 61 (80%) but in almost half 26 cases (42%) the fatal event occurred before or without first aid maneuvers being performed.Conclusion. On the Italian territory, during a 2 years period, three cases per month of fatal choking due to foreign-body airway obstruction occurred, many of them in adult patients (38%). Italian people seem not to be educated to provide first aid in these settings.