We’ve built a strong working relationship with Hcsuk over many years, having used them to source, install and service our medical training equipment. I first saw this demonstrated at a military show back in the summer with one of my daughters (9yr) and it immediately caught my eye. The reality is that these devices are not the standard of care or recommended by any major accrediting body, such as the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) or the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR),” says Maneesha Agarwal, MD, an assistant professor of pediatrics and emergency medicine at Emory University in Atlanta and a member of the Injury-Free Coalition for Kids, a prevention program consisting of emergency medicine and pediatric physicians across the U.

Air is forced out of the sides of the device, which creates a vacuum that (in theory) sucks the object out of the airway when the lever is immediately pulled back again.I feel that as a company Hcsuk have got the desire and right people in place for growing in this competitive industry. I did find it was quite hard to pump at first, because obviously it was the first time I'd used it, I knew exactly what I needed to do, it's just I didn't realize how strong it would be. Anti choking device is non-invasive,it is specially used to remove obstacles in the airway, such as food, small toys or other foreign matters.

You can use it if you want to remove an obstructed object from your throat without any help, and it can also be used by people who need to help others during choking. They also questioned the accuracy of staff assessment of the victim's state of consciousness in these emergency situations, and acknowledged there was no way of assessing the quality of any back blows and abdominal thrusts given. Two members of staff, however, confessed that after using the DeChoker they felt confused and had doubts about how they handled the situation. A spokesperson said: “If a user or member of the public has any concerns regarding the compliance of a specific medical device available on the UK market, we would ask that they report this to the MHRA. DeChoker, an Airway Clearance Device (ACD), might provide an additional alternative in the management of choking; however, limited evidence around its safety and effectiveness makes adoption controversial.The device successfully removed the obstruction in 26 of the 27 cases; the remaining incident stated that although the device had not successfully removed the obstruction, the resident had managed to cough it out, with the device helping to remove excess of phlegm, allowing the resident to breathe and reduce risk of aspiration. One question that needs to remain under review is the issue of mouth trauma; in this small sample the findings were inconclusive. A 2022 study of self-reported experiences found that for 38 of 39 adults with known swallowing problems who had a choking event, the device removed the obstruction. This meant that between four and six members of staff were actively involved, either dealing with the emergency itself or tending to other residents in the vicinity. There are already 100,000 LifeVac devices that have been sold in different parts of the world, which clearly indicates that people are benefiting from the device and prefer to use it over other anti-choking solutions.

It was suggested however, that the inclusion of roleplay within DeChoker training, similar to other medical emergencies training, would be useful to ensure an automated response to choking events.

There are about 300 deaths a year in the UK from choking, with most of the deaths among elderly people. The suction-based devices are already used in care homes across the country and there is a campaign for them to be more widely available, but emergency doctors are concerned that families may be misled by some of the promotional material. Simplicity, however did not necessarily overcome inexperience; a participant commented although she had completed online training she had not experienced pulling on the device until the incident occurred. The authors acknowledge other ACDs are available on the market, however the purpose of this independent evaluation seeks to explore the design, function and outcomes of the DeChoker device. LifeVac Europe, which is based in the UK and is one of the leading companies in this sector, promotes its device for saving children’s lives around the world.