Patient monitoring during special rescues from heights and depths

Two men in helmets on the platform of a high tower, exchanging a miniature vital signs monitor, one wearing a green helmet.

Special rescue from heights and depths (SRHT) refers to the search for, rescue service or emergency medical care and evacuation of people from emergency situations at heights or depths. This type of rescue must be practiced and rehearsed regularly so that action can be taken quickly and safely in an emergency. The “Training Center Retten und Helfen” (TCRH) in Mosbach, Baden Württemberg, also known as “Disaster City”, is ideally equipped for this. The TCRH offers the ideal environment to impart practical knowledge to rescue workers.

Special rescue from heights and depths is the profession of Axel Manz, one of the most experienced experts in this field and founder of Global Special Rescue Solutions (GSRS). With his company, he offers professional training in complex rescue scenarios, among other things. As part of a seminar at the TCRH in Mosbach, he also tested the cosinuss° patient monitoring solution during special rescues under the most adverse conditions.

A man wearing a red jacket and helmet grips a rope, preparing for a high-angle rescue training.
A man in a helmet holds a microphone, ready to speak or perform, showcasing a blend of safety and communication.
A man in a helmet is holding a cell phone and a , appearing focused and engaged in a conversation or task.
Climbing harness, rope, and gear arranged neatly on a sturdy metal platform, including an orange case with small in-ear sensors and a cell phone displaying vital signs.
Close-up of a man in a green jacket and helmet, viewed from behind, featuring an in-ear sensor.
Close-up of a person unboxing and presenting a specialized in-ear sensor for measuring vitals signs

Among the numerous rescue scenarios tested were a challenging rescue from a height on the Disaster City training tower and the rescue of a trapped person after a building collapse, in which the evacuation through a narrow tube was simulated. In both scenarios, the rescuers would not have had access to the patient’s vital signs without cosinuss° technology, which means that important decisions have to be made virtually blind and time becomes an even greater stress factor. The lack of space, accessibility of the casualty and transportation options make continuous monitoring of the casualty impossible, even though it would be essential

Vital signs and their importance in specialized rescue

The recording of vital signs during special rescues from heights or depths is crucial for the patient’s outcome. In the first moments of a rescue, it is important to quickly obtain objective information about the casualty’s state of health. This information helps the rescuers to make an informed decision about the patient’s fitness for transportation.

Continuous monitoring of vital signs supports decision-making as well as confirmation and monitoring of further progress during the rescue. The fast and accurate recording of vital signs is therefore essential and improves the efficiency of the entire rescue process.

Results and findings from testing the cosinuss° solution

The cosinuss° solution, consisting of the c-med° alpha in-ear sensor and the cosinuss° Health mobile application, offers specialist rescuers a compact, lightweight patient monitoring solution that can be easily carried in a trouser pocket and used with smartphones or tablets. The c-med° alpha not only measures pulse rate, oxygen saturation and body temperature, but also provides important additional data such as perfusion and quality index. Thanks to the continuously visible PPG signal in the cosinuss° Health app, rescuers can carry out precise monitoring. With a weight of just 6.5 g, a size of 4.5 cm and wireless Bluetooth transmission, the sensor is not only extremely light, but also very user-friendly.

The minimal size, the ultra-light weight and the wireless connection to the display are the obvious advantages of cosinuss° technology, which every participant in the seminar recognized immediately. They make it possible to take patient monitoring to the injured person and use it. This means that the first major hurdle to continuous monitoring has been overcome.

However, there are other very relevant advantages that became clear during the trials at the TCRH:

Quick access

In the initial treatment of a patient in such difficult situations, the head is usually accessed first. This allows the c-med° alpha, which is placed in the ear canal, to be inserted quickly. Thus, several vital signs can be monitored without having to expose the patient further.

One device instead of many

Recording all relevant vital signs with just one device eliminates the need for multiple measuring devices.

Valid measurement

The placement of the multiparameter sensor in the external auditory canal, close to the internal carotid artery, has the valuable advantage that there is always a stable blood supply at this measurement location and therefore valid measurements are possible even if other parts of the body are no longer well supplied with blood. The continuous measurement of body temperature close to the body’s own temperature regulator, the hypothalamus, is also very important, particularly for injured people outside and especially in cold temperatures. The sensor in the ear canal can also be easily shielded from external influences, for example with the help of a headband, so that the best possible measurement results can be achieved.

A tall metal training tower stands prominently in a field, designed for high angle rescue training exercises.
Bottom View of a metal training tower structure, showcasing its design for rescue operations.
A person in a mountain bag is fitted with a sensor in the ear to measure vital parameters.
Fully equipped in red and black, a rescue worker holds a cell phone, ready to assist with a mobile patient monitor nearby.
Over-the-shoulder perspective of an individual using a smartphone with a mobile patient monitor application visible on the screen.
Overlooking teh scaffolding, two men in safety gear stand on a platform, preparing for abseiling from the tower.
A man in a red helmet is being hoisted by a mountain bag on a rope, capturing a scene of teamwork and emergency response in action.
A man in a helmet and goggles stands confidently on top of the platform, checking the scaffolding and the ropes.
Two people dressed in red and yellow safety gear collaborate, emphasizing safety and teamwork in their work setting.
A team dressed in red and black gear stands on a platform, participating in a focused de-briefing discussion.
Group of individuals in red and black gear on a roof, utilizing specialized scaffolding for their rescue training.
Two men in safety gear on a metal platform, skillfully moving a mountain bag on a rope through a tight exit passage.

Monitoring during transportation

The vital signs can be monitored during the entire rescue process, including transportation through tubes or with ropes. There are no cables that would make monitoring during transport impossible and the wireless data connection between the sensor and smartphone is possible up to a distance of approx. 30 meters without any problems.

Multi-view option

The vital signs of a patient can be viewed simultaneously by several rescuers on their respective end devices. In scenarios with limited visual and auditory contact, this function enables efficient coordination between the rescue teams despite the circumstances.

Documentation

Vital signs are automatically documented in the Health° App and can be easily exported, which is valuable for debriefing and improving rescue processes.

Men in orange and blue uniforms navigate through the rubble of a destroyed building.
Three workers dressed in orange and blue are actively clearing a substantial pile of rubble.
A man in orange pants stands ready with rescue equipment, prepared for an emergency situation.
In an orange suit, a man is focused on a narrow tube, prepared to crawl for a rescue mission.
Inside a narrow space a man in a helmet is wearing an in-ear device during a rescue operation. Another man holds a cell phone, monitoring vital signs with.
In a collapsed building, a narrow space, two men are communicating about the next steps for the rescue operation.
A man being rescued through a narrow pipe is
The person involved in the accident is wearing a measuring device in their ear. The rescuers see the person's vital signs on a cell phone.
A man is supported by an emergency worker in a narrow tube, highlighting the urgency of the rescue effort.
A group of men in orange and blue clothing assists a man on the ground, showcasing teamwork in a rescue effort.
A crowd surrounds a damaged building, expressing relief and gratitude as all individuals have been rescued safely.
A group of people walking down a street, concluding a rescue operation and leaving the scene behind them.

The solution from cosinuss° opens up new possibilities in specialized rescue that no rescuer will want to miss

The patient monitoring solution, which can be carried in a trouser pocket, makes it possible to monitor vital signs in many special rescue situations. In addition, this technology offers further advantages that will make rescue more efficient and safer overall.

The SRHT expert, Axel Manz, is enthusiastic about the new possibilities opened up by cosinuss° patient monitoring and is convinced that this technology will find its way into rescue services across the board.

Photo credit: Gerrit Schweiger (cosinuss°)