Assessment of the LifeVac, an anti-choking device, on a human cadaver with complete airway obstruction.

We performed an independent study to determine whether the anti-choking device, LifeVac, is capable of removing a food bolus from an obstructed airway when the potential for choking as a medical emergency exists. The LifeVac is a non-powered, single patient, portable suction apparatus (anti-choking device) developed for resuscitating choking victims when standard current choking protocol has been followed without success. The LifeVac is designed with a patented valve to prevent air from exiting through the mask. This patented valve is designed to prevent the strong pulse of air from pushing food or objects further downward, lodging the blockage deeper into the airway of the victim. A one-way suction stream is thus created to remove the lodged food or object. The negative pressure generated by the force of the suction is 3 times greater than the highest recorded choke pressure. The mean peak airway pressure with abdominal thrusts is 26.4 ± 19.8 cmH20 and with chest compressions, 40.8 ± 16.4 cmH20, respectively (P = .005, 95% confidence interval for the mean difference 5.3–23.4 cmH20.) The LifeVac generates over 300 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg) of suction. Each year, approximately 3000–4000 Americans die from choking. Children and the elderly present much higher risks for choking. At least one child dies from choking on food every five days in the U.S., andmore than 10,000 children are taken to hospital emergency departments each year for food-choking incidents. Semisolid foods are the major cause of a large number of asphyxiations, especially among the elderly. This studywas conducted at Fusion Solutions, a cadaver based training center in New York. An unselected, recently diseased individual was employed in the study. The subject was a 71 year old, Caucasian female, 153 pounds, 65 inches with a Body Mass Index of 25. Medical history was remarkable for breast cancer. American Journal of Emergency Medicine 34 (2016) 1673–1730