In Germany, emergency care is provided by ambulances and rescue helicopters. Emergency physicians are part of prehospital care. The rescue helicopter in Dresden covers the city with 540.000 inhabitants and surrounding areas. The goal of the study was to evaluate cases of traumatic cardiac arrest (TCA) and to describe factors that affect the primary success of prehospital cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in trauma.

Data of all emergencies from the German Air Rescue (DRF-Luftrettung®) Helicopter Base Dresden were recorded on a standardized protocol and transferred to a central database (MEDAT®, HEMSDER®). Data from all patients with severe injuries, classified as polytrauma between January 2006 and December 2015 were analyzed.

There were a total number of 14,126 emergency cases involving the rescue Helicopter. The Helicopter was on the scene within 10.9 minutes [4-34]. Polytraumatized patients were identified in 673 cases (4.76%), the mean age was 43.73 years [2-98], and 498 patients were male (73.99%). In 444 cases, traffic accidents were responsible, in 188 cases falls from high. In 46 cases a suicide was documented. Mean ISS was 34,04 [16-75]. The main injury regions were head, extremities and chest. In 115 patients (17.08%) a TCA was observed. 43 pat. were pronounced dead initially and no treatment was initiated. 72 pat. (62.6%) received CPR. 39 of these pat. (54,17%) were also pronounced dead after treatment. 14 pat. (19.44%) were transported to hospital with ongoing CPR. 19 pat. (27.38%) reached the return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC). Male pat. reached more often ROSC.

According to present guidelines for TCA, it is important that reversible causes of cardiac arrest in trauma pat. are to be treated. If we ensure the treatment of hypoxia, hypovolemia, tension pneumothorax and cardiac tamponade consequently, there will be a survival chance. Regular training for manual skills and simulation can be a key factor.