When hospital personnel use a “crash cart"ie; the paddles” on a patient, what do the numbers that they say, “Charge to 200, 300 etc” stand for?
Also, do they actually have internal paddles to shock the actual heart during open heart surgery, and if so, do they use a lower amount of charge and if so, why? I would guess it would be to prevent burning or further damaging the heart, but I could be wrong.
Finally, what is the correct term for the above-mentioned devices?
Thanks in advance.
The crash cart is actually a mobile tool chest. The top quality ones often use a Snap-On[sup]tm[/sup] tool chest. I’ve not seen the Dale Earnhardt one used for this, however. The cart is filled with drugs and instruments to aid in emergencies.
On top of the cart is generally the defibrillator, which can deliver an electrical shock to the heart, which is measured in joules. In unsynchronized cardioversion, ne usually starts at 200 joules, then moves to 300 if needed. Then to 360. Generally no more than 360 joules are given. In synchronized cardioversion (where there is a heartbeat of sorts with pulse, but of the dangerous type), lesser amounts of joules are used.
They use similar paddles in the OR, to restart a heart. I’m not sure what electrical setting they use there, but I expect it’s less, as there’s less resistance to overcome, what with the chest being out of the way.
Of course, lower settings are used in pediatric patients.