SonoSite’s NanoMaxx ultrasound system is proving a key asset for ambulance and helicopter paediatric retrievals across Scotland, helping to ensure the safe transfer of patients from remote, rural sites.
Jon McCormack, a consultant in paediatric anaesthesia and intensive care retrieval at the Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Edinburgh, explained: “The paediatric retrieval service is responsible for the transport of critically-ill and injured children across Scotland to the nearest paediatric intensive care unit, often from extremely-isolated locations with no critical care facilities. While ultrasound equipment may be available, it is unlikely to be suitable for line placement in a baby or child, and so the paediatric retrieval service invested in a NanoMaxx system that is taken to all call-outs.
“For a retrieval service, portability, size and weight are important considerations. The system must also have a good battery life, as a retrieval can take several hours, during which time it may not be possible to charge the system. In addition, it should be easy to clean and water wind and drop-proof to a certain extent, as the system may be used both indoors and out, sometimes in extreme conditions."
