Drone-Facilitated Real-Time Video-Guided Feedback Helps to Improve the Quality of Lay Bystander Basic Life Support. A Randomized Controlled Simulation Trial

Abstract

Objectives

Telephone instructions are commonly used to improve cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) by lay bystanders. This usually implies an audio but no visual connection between the provider and the emergency medical telecommunicator. We aimed to investigate whether video-guided feedback via a camera drone enhances the quality of CPR.

Methods

We conducted a randomized controlled simulation trial. Lay rescuers performed 8 min of CPR on an objective feedback manikin. Participants were randomized to receive telephone instructions with (intervention group) or without (control group) a drone providing a visual connection with the telecommunicator after a 2-min run-in phase. Performed work (total compression depth minus total lean depth) was the primary outcome. Secondary outcomes were the proportion of effective chest compressions, average compression depth, subjective physical strain measured every 2 min, and dexterity in the nine-hole peg test after the scenario. Outcomes were compared using the t- and Mann Whitney-U tests. A two-sided p-value of <0.05 was considered significant.

Results

We included 27 individuals (14 (52%) female, mean age 41 ± 14 years). Performed work was greater in the intervention than in the control group (41.3 ± 7.0 vs. 33.9 ± 10.9 m; absolute difference 7.5, 95% CI 1.4 to 14.8; p = 0.046), with higher average compression depth (49 ± 7 vs. 40 ± 13 mm; p = 0.041), and higher proportions of adequate chest compressions (43 (IQR 14–60) vs. 3 (0–29) %; p = 0.041). We did not find any significant differences regarding the remaining secondary outcomes.

Conclusion

Video-guided feedback via drones might be a helpful tool to enhance the quality of telephone-assisted CPR in lay bystanders.

Acknowledgments

We thank Notruf Niederösterreich for contributing with their knowledge in emergency medical service dispatch, the telecommunicator, the drone, and the pilot. We thank Patrick Burianek, Gernot Gschöpf, Christoph Oberschlick, Lukas Hofer, Bernhard Eisenbock, and Sophia Gebath-Wicho for sharing their expertise. We are grateful to Koloszar Medizintechnik GmbH for providing the manikin. Furthermore, we thank G3 Shoppingresort Gerasdorf for hosting us at the study location.

Ethical approval

Approval from the ethics committee (vote #1002/2023) and written consent from the participants were obtained.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

Data cannot be shared due to regulations of the ethics committee.