This thing is frigging cool. The EZ-IO system is an incredibly fast and efficient way to get access on a patient in seconds. I was trained using old fashioned intraosseous lines put in by hand – and generally only ever used on babies. Now, this little drill puts one in in a flash to either the tibia, the humerus, or the ankle. You can blast fluids, bloods, and most meds into them at a very rapid rate. The military just puts one into each of your shoulders through your uniform when you get shot in the field!
They can stay in for 24 hours and are a lifesaver. Also a time saver in cases where it is going to take a million years to put in an IJ line. Watch the video of this guy getting on in his humerus.
Extremely easy to use, lifesaving. No more hunting for lines on a code. However, if the person is awake, make sure to give lidocaine first :P I’ve used the EZIO system probably 40-50 times. I don’t even try for a line in a code anymore, we’re not required to.
I LOVE these things. We used one on a dying capybara (that skin is so thick that we could not even get a vein with a huge cut down). So fast, so easy, and as good as a central line.
You can dump whatever you want through them…even reports of contrasted CT’s and pressors.
Okay, so having used these in the field for nearly five years now, (perhaps a little less) I was like, yawn, whoop-t-do an IO – glad you could join us here in the new age of emergency medicine. That was right up until I played the video anyway only to see them demo it on a guy just sitting there!!!!!! Holy Shit Batman. Now that I have not seen – most times the patients are comatose or dead – not sitting there watching it go in. Cool video! Altough I’m damn glad they didn’t make us practice on each other like we did with IVs way back when.
Our medics have used them (sparingly) for the last 3 years but the whole hospital just got them on the code carts.
I have not used the humerous…nor on a conscious patient. But it’s a great safety valve type of technique when needed.
Just recently used a glide-scope for the first time, on a 300+ pound patient. What a cool thing! A real improvement over the laryngoscope for difficult airways!
The demo subject is remarkably chill.
I did this for the first time time last week, on a dialysis patient we couldn’t get a line on. Patient didn’t even flinch and said it was the most painless line she had ever gotten.
[...] recent post on the EZ-IO reminded me that I had the opportunity to do my first one of this past week and it was a pretty [...]
Oh gosh, he looks like an inmate happy to get a day of Good Time for volunteering to be drilled in front of an audience.