Systems and methods for airway management are provided. The airway management devices may be configured to align the oropharyngeal, laryngeal and tracheal axes of a person's head and/or support a neck region and chin and posterior mandibular region of a person. The airway management devices may provide forces similar to forces provided by a conventional head tilt chin lift maneuver and a conventional jaw thrust maneuver.

A CPR chest compression device with a cooling exhaust flow path configured to direct cooling air flow through the device. A CPR chest compression device with a battery retainer interoperable with the control system to provide for controlled shut-down when an operator attempts to remove the battery during operation.

A method for performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) includes elevating the heart of an individual to a first height relative to a lower body of the individual. The lower body may be in a substantially horizontal plane. The method may also include elevating the head of the individual to a second height relative to the lower body of the individual. The second height may be greater than the first height. The method may further include performing one or more of a type of CPR or a type of intrathoracic pressure regulation while elevating the heart and the head. The first height and the second height may be determined based on one or both of the type of CPR or the type of intrathoracic pressure regulation.

A method for performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) includes elevating the heart of an individual to a first height relative to a lower body of the individual. The lower body may be in a substantially horizontal plane. The method may also include elevating the head of the individual to a second height relative to the lower body of the individual. The second height may be greater than the first height. The method may further include performing one or more of a type of CPR or a type of intrathoracic pressure regulation while elevating the heart and the head. The first height and the second height may be determined based on one or both of the type of CPR or the type of intrathoracic pressure regulation.

In embodiments, a CPR chest compression system includes a retention structure that can retain the patient's body, and a compression mechanism that can perform automatically CPR compressions and releases to the patient's chest. The compression mechanism can pause the performing of the CPR compressions for a short time, so that an attendant can check the patient. The CPR system also includes a user interface that can output a human-perceptible check patient prompt, to alert an attendant to check the patient during the pause. An advantage can be when the attendant checks in situations where the condition of the patient might have changed, and an adjustment is needed. Or in situations where the patient may have improved enough to where the compressions are no longer needed.

An elevation device for use in the performance of CPR includes a base, an upper support coupled with the base that elevates an individual's heart, shoulders, and head relative to horizontal, an adjustment mechanism coupled with the upper support that adjusts elevation of the upper support, a chest compression device; and a controller system. The controller primes the circulatory system by causing the chest compression device to perform chest compressions while the individual's heart, shoulders, and head are supported by the upper support at a first elevation position for a period of time. The controller causes the adjustment mechanism to adjust the elevation of the upper support to a second elevation position after the period of time has elapsed while performing chest compressions. The controller causes the chest compression device to perform chest compressions on the individual while the individual's heart, shoulders, and head are at the second elevation position.

An intelligent rechargeable battery pack having a battery management system for monitoring and controlling the charging and discharging of the battery pack is described. The battery management system includes primary and secondary protection circuits for monitoring the charging and discharging of the battery. Individual battery cells forming the battery pack are connected by a main bus to a connector for connection to a battery charger or a device to be powered, and the main bus may be interrupted by a switch controlled by the battery management system to prevent damage to the battery during charging or discharging of the battery.

This disclosure relates to device for providing continuous negative abdominal pressure (CNAP) which selectively recruits (inflates) the dorsal (spinal region) collapsed areas of the lung, while enabling the patient to remain in the supine (usual) position. The CNAP device includes a rigid frame configured to have a shape and size to envelop a patient's lower chest and abdominal area while in a supine position with the frame having opposed edges which sit on a surface on which the supine patient is resting. A series of panels are mounted in the frame such that the series of panels extend around the patient's lower chest and abdominal area. A flexible sheet wrapped around the outside of the panels and is long enough to extend up to the patient's upper chest and down to the patients thighs and wide enough to envelop the supine patient's lower chest and abdominal area. Sealing members are to seal the flexible sheet over the frame and panels and around the patient's lower chest and pelvis, wherein a chamber is formed between the patient and said device when the patient is enveloped by the device. An air inlet coupling extends through one of the panels and is attachable to a suction source which is configured to generate negative pressure of between about 5 to about 10 cm H.sub.2O inside the chamber.

In embodiments, a CPR chest compression system includes a retention structure that can retain the patient's body, and a compression mechanism that can perform automatically CPR compressions and releases to the patient's chest. The compression mechanism can pause the performing of the CPR compressions for a short time, so that an attendant can check the patient. The CPR system also includes a user interface that can output a human-perceptible check patient prompt, to alert an attendant to check the patient during the pause. An advantage can be when the attendant checks in situations where the condition of the patient might have changed, and an adjustment is needed. Or in situations where the patient may have improved enough to where the compressions are no longer needed.

A CPR system includes a retention structure to retain the patient's body, and a compression mechanism to perform CPR compressions to the patient's chest. The CPR system further includes a processor to control the compression mechanism, and thus the performance of the CPR compressions. In embodiments, the CPR system compresses at a rate or frequency that is varied based on feedback gathered from physiological sensors that detect physiological characteristics of the patient during treatment.