Snow Properties and Its Modeling for Studying Gas Exchange Under the Simulated Avalanche Snow (SPAM)

Czech Technical University in Prague

Status: Unknown

Conditions: Accident Caused by Snow Avalanche

Treatments: Other: Breathing in the simulated avalanche snow

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT03413878

VentRes-2018-01-KR

Details and patient eligibility

About

The aim of the study is to investigate respiratory parameters of a person in the simulated avalanche snow and consequent use of the measured data for development of a mathematical-physical model of breathing during increasing hypercapnia in the avalanche.

Full description

The study is a part of a university research project aimed at studying physiological conditions and development of breathing parameters of a person breathing in the simulated avalanche snow. Presence of an air pocket and its size play an important role in survival of victims buried in the avalanche snow. Even small air pockets facilitate breathing, yet they do not provide a significant amount of fresh air for breathing. The investigators hypothesize that the size of the air pocket significantly affects the airflow resistance and work of breathing. The aim of the study is to investigate the effect of the air pocket volume on gas exchange and work of breathing in subjects breathing into the simulated avalanche snow.

Enrollment: 45 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 50 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• healthy and fit volunteers, classified as The American Society of Anesthesiologists class I
• without a smoking history

Exclusion criteria

• Tiffeneau Index less than 0.70
• any cardiovascular or respiratory condition

Trial design

Primary purpose: Basic Science

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Crossover Assignment

Masking: Double Blind

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45 participants in 4 patient groups

Wet snow/Small air pocket

Experimental group

Description:

Breathing in the simulated avalanche snow. Breathing into model of wet avalanche snow with a small air pocket

Treatment:

Other: Breathing in the simulated avalanche snow

Dry snow/Small air pocket

Experimental group

Description:

Breathing in the simulated avalanche snow. Breathing into model of dry avalanche snow with a small air pocket

Treatment:

Other: Breathing in the simulated avalanche snow

Wet snow/Large air pocket

Experimental group

Description:

Breathing in the simulated avalanche snow. Breathing into model of wet avalanche snow with a large air pocket

Treatment:

Other: Breathing in the simulated avalanche snow

Dry snow/Large air pocket

Experimental group

Description:

Breathing in the simulated avalanche snow. Breathing into model of dry avalanche snow with a large air pocket

Treatment:

Other: Breathing in the simulated avalanche snow