Use of the Lund University Cardiopulmonary Assist System in the MD902: a fire safety assessment.

BACKGROUND

The Lund University Cardiopulmonary Assist System (LUCAS) is a gas-driven mechanical cardiopulmonary resuscitation device. If oxygen is used as the driving gas in a confined environment, there is a potential fire hazard. 24% oxygen is considered the threshold for increased risk.

OBJECTIVE AND

METHODS

Three trials were conducted using different cabin ventilation settings to determine the rise in oxygen concentration in an MD902 helicopter during use of the LUCAS.

RESULTS

The oxygen concentration rose rapidly with the aircraft at rest, but during flight, using realistic cabin ventilation settings and durations of use, the oxygen concentration failed to reach 24%.

CONCLUSION

The LUCAS is safe for normal-duration flights in an MD902 helicopter. It is potentially unsafe in a static MD902 and, by extrapolation, in other static aircraft of similar or smaller size such as the EC135 or Bolkow 105.