WETTER or NUT to D-Fib ?

["Brault, Charles" <cbrault@bechtel.com>]

An old question
Partially answered



July/September 2003 . Volume 7 . Number 3 

Original Articles
The safe use of automated external defibrillators in a wet
environment 

Tom Lyster, MS [MEDLINE LOOKUP]
Dawn Jorgenson, PhD [MEDLINE LOOKUP]
Carl Morgan, MS [MEDLINE LOOKUP] 
Sections 

   Abstract	 
There has been concern regarding potential shock hazards for rescuers
or bystanders when a defibrillator is used in a wet environment and
the recommended safety procedure, moving the patient to a dry area,
is not followed. 

Objective. To measure the electrical potentials associated with the
use of an automated external defibrillator (AED) in a realistically
modeled wet environment. 

Methods. A raw processed turkey was used as a patient surrogate. The
turkey was placed on a cement floor while pool water was applied to
the surrounding area. To simulate a rescuer or bystander in the
vicinity of a patient, a custom sense probe was constructed.
Defibrillation shocks were delivered to the turkey and the probe was
used to measure the voltage an operator/bystander would receive at
different points surrounding the surrogate. The test was repeated
with salt water. 

Results. The maximum voltage occurred approximately 15 cm from the
simulated patient and measured 14 V peak (current 14 mA peak) in the
case of pool water, and 30 V peak (current 30 mA peak) in the case of
salt water. 

Conclusions. Thirty volts may result in some minor sensation by the
operator or bystander, but is considered unlikely to be hazardous
under these circumstances. The maximum currents were lower than
allowed by safety standards. Although defibrillation in a wet
environment is not recommended practice, our simulation of a patient
and a rescuer/bystander in a wet environment did not show significant
risk should circumstances demand it. PREHOSPITAL EMERGENCY CARE
2003;7:307-311 

 
   References	
1.  Marenco JP, Wang PJ, Link MS, Homound MK, Estes NAM. Improving
survival from sudden cardiac arrest, the role of the automated
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MEDLINE


2.  Gibbs W, Eisenberg M, Damon SK. Dangers of defibrillation:
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MEDLINE


3.  Miller LV, Brennan R. Cardiac defibrillator use in potentially
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MEDLINE


4.  Dedrick DK, Darga A, Landis D, Burney RE. Defibrillation safety
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MEDLINE


5.  Line-powered defibrillators. Health Dev. 1983;12:298.

6.  Poole JE, White RD, Kanz K, et al. Low-energy
impedance-compensating biphasic waveforms terminate ventricular
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MEDLINE


7.  Olson WH. Electrical Safety. In: Webster JG (ed). Medical
Instrumentation Application and Design. Boston: Houghton Mifflin
Company, 1978.



   Publishing and Reprint Information	 
. Received November 27, 2002. 
. From Philips Medical Systems, Seattle, Washington (TL, DJ, CM).
. Revision received March 11, 2003.
. Accepted for publication March 11, 2003. 
. Supported by Philips Medical Systems, Seattle, WA.
. Address correspondence and reprint requests to: Tom Lyster, MS,
Philips Medical Systems, 
2301 5th Avenue, Suite 200, 
Seattle, WA 98121. 
e-mail:  tom.lyster@philips.com  .


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