A Revolution in Cardiac Emergency

Aerospace is proving to be an unexpected ally in the fight against sudden cardiac arrest. Thanks to the experimental project SEUAM (Sanitary Emergency Urban Air Mobility), developed by SIS118 in collaboration with various partners, including the aerospace consortium CALTEC and prominent academic institutions like the Campus Biomedical University of Rome and the Free University of the Mediterranean Giuseppe Degennaro (LUM) in Casamassima, a new frontier is being opened in advanced patient resuscitation.

The Strategic Objective of SEUAM

The core of the SEUAM project lies in the use of hypervelocity drones to promptly transport defibrillators to the scene of the incident, ensuring rapid and effective interventions before the arrival of traditional SET118 ambulances. This strategy aims to reduce response time and significantly increase the chances of survival without disabling neurological outcomes for patients affected by sudden cardiac arrest.

Initial Experimentation: Successes and Perspectives

Mario Balzanelli, recently re-elected for the 4th time as SIS118 national president, stated that “From the first 3 test flights, conducted in Taranto and Altomonte, we document how in the scenario of sudden cardiac arrest, a hypervelocity drone is able to transport the defibrillator to the scene several minutes before the arrival of the SET118 ambulance. This possibility of delivering the defibrillator shock several minutes before the arrival of the SET118 ambulance, in the absence of immediate availability of a defibrillator on-site, would significantly increase the chances of survival and full recovery without disabling neurological outcomes. All this, on a global scale. The next experimental flight test is scheduled for September.”

The Future of Resuscitation: Continuous Progress and Next Phases

The SEUAM project is only at the beginning of its development path. The next experimental flight test is scheduled for September, with the aim of further expanding the scope of intervention and optimizing operational procedures. With the assistance of aerospace technology, emergency healthcare is entering a new era, offering hope and the possibility of salvation to those facing critical situations such as sudden cardiac arrest.

Sources

• SIS118 press release