Patient-care Services and Surgeries that can be

Performed in the Ambulance

Ambulances are an integral core of medical transportation services catering to the

healthcare requirements of various patient age-groups. It is usually perceived that

ambulance services are meant to be availed only in medical emergencies. That’s

not true!

Ambulances may be used as a reliable mode of Long Distance Medical

Transportation (LDMT) if the patients have to undertake long journeys or have

medical needs that make them incapable of travelling in a normal vehicle. LDMT

Ambulances assist in transporting patients in a personalized manner ensuring

complete safety and comfort during the long travel.

Types of Ambulance Services

1. Transport Ambulance Services

These may be used both for short and long distances for getting optimum

care on wheels. These services are useful for patients with limited or no

physical mobility, particularly seniors, who need clinical monitoring during

transit.

2. Basic Life Support (BLS) Services

 These ambulances provide basic life support services to patients with skilled

nurses.BLS ambulances are equipped with automatic external defibrillator,

blood pressure monitoring devices, pulse oximetry and oxygen delivery

services needed for stabilizing the patient until they reach the hospital.

Blood transfusions, oxygen supply and emergency medications can be

handled onboard.

3. ACLS Ambulance Services (or mobile Intensive Care Units (ICUs))

Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) ambulances are upgraded versions of

standard ambulances. They give specialized medical care to heart patients

and victims of heart attacks with support of a dedicated intensive care

support team. These patients need extra care for ensuring adequate blood

circulation and ventilation. ACLS ambulances also handle cases associated

with cardiac arrests like cardiac arrhythmias, strokes and food poisoning.

They are supported by provision for Advanced Life Support (ALS)

assessment for ensuring sufficient stock of necessary healthcare supplies so

that the patient is escorted cautiously without any hassles. Stocks include

Intra-Venous (IV) supplies, cardiac monitor, intubation equipment and

ventilator.

4. Mother and Child Ambulance Services

These are maternal ambulances exclusively designed to accommodate the

transport needs of both mother and babies. Various configurations for

specialized paediatric care and emergencies include

• Neonatal Ambulance

These are specially constructed to handle and transport the newborn

babies in precarious health conditions to hospitals or homes with utmost

safety and comfort. The services rendered are aided with relevant

medical equipment like radiant warmers, resuscitation systems, neonatal

 ventilators, oxygen cylinders, auto-loading stretchers and phototherapy

devices. These ambulances deploy extra care for minimizing vibrations

and sounds for safe transit of new-borns.

• Paediatric Ambulances

These ambulances offer paediatric emergency services. They may be

availed for safely transporting a child suffering from a critical illness or

injury to hospital. It is particularly useful when the child requires

incubator transport methods.

Types of Surgeries on Ambulances

Performing surgeries on ambulances is difficult due to constraints of space and

infection control mechanisms. However, patients who are critically ill or injured

often need access to enhanced clinical intervention.

To combat with over-crowded hospital emergency units, ambulances may be

transformed to mobile Operation Theatres (OT) for providing extended care with

advanced practices. In-house equipment include operation table, anaesthesia

machine, cautery machine, patient monitors and defibrillators for performing basic

surgeries. Licensed paramedics enhance care levels by carrying out surgical

invasive procedures in medical emergencies like

1. Surgical Airway (Cricothyrotomy/Tracheostomy)

A life-saving procedure done on the neck front to ensure an open airway

between the patient’s lungs and outside world for breathing.

2. Simple Thoracotomy

Used for gaining access to thoracic organs (heart, lung, oesophagus),

thoracic aorta or anterior spine. It is usually used in chest decompression.

3. Craniotomy

A brain surgery done in certain life threatening situations to handle

increased intercranial bleeding.