1960s-1970s: AMBU BAG AND FOOT SUCTION

Ambu Bag and Foot Suction

Introduced in the late 1960s, the Ambu Resuscitation Kit offered everything needed to offer resuscitation to a patient. The kit included the Ambu Bag (BVM) and a foot operated portable suction unit. Early Ambu Bags were foam-filled, causing foam to be transferred to the patient’s lungs as the bag was squeezed. In 1972 this problem was corrected by replacing the bag and valve with better materials. The foot suction unit was one of the earliest manual systems offered; however, it only worked efficiently when full, energetic compressions were offered by a second rescuer rather than the one performing the procedure.

Submitted to NEMSM May 2011 by Fred Swihart