TUESDAY, April 23, 2024 (HealthDay News) — People should rely on the well-established Heimlich maneuver to save a choking victim, rather than novel “anti-choking” devices, the Food and Drug Administration says (U.S. FDA)
“The safety and effectiveness of over-the-counter anti-choking devices have not been established; they are not approved or cleared by the FDA,” the agency said in a safety statement issued Monday.
The FDA admitted that it is “not aware of any serious injuries reported with the use of these devices, and no deaths have been associated with the use of anti-choking devices.”
However, the agency is concerned that using these single-use devices could cost precious time in an emergency.
“Consumers should be aware that using anti-choking devices first could delay action, as consumers typically have to remove them from the packaging, assemble them, and follow the device’s instructions, which can delay the use of established rescue protocols.” “the agency said.
Lack of oxygen to the brain for more than four minutes can cause brain damage and death, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine.
The Heimlich maneuver works by applying abdominal thrusts to a choking victim. These thrusts expel air from the lungs and up through the throat, dislodging the object blocking the airway.
In comparison, anti-choking devices are designed to suction out an object that is obstructing a person’s airway, using vacuum pressure.
The leading device, the $70 LifeVac, comes with a mask that fits over a person’s nose or mouth and attaches to a plunger-like bellows. Pushing the bellows down and then up quickly creates a vacuum to clear the airway.
The LifeVac website contains a “Hall of Saves” featuring thousands of cases in which the device has saved a child or adult from suffocation, as well as a page dedicated to medical journal articles about the device.
The company informs consumers that the LifeVac is “registered by the FDA as a Class II medical device.”
“It is exempt from premarket authorization. The FDA does not require premarket review of the LifeVac device,” the website says. “Currently in the United States, all portable suction devices are required to be FDA registered, not approved.”
Still, the FDA says people should not rely on these devices because established choking rescue protocols, which are based on the Heimlich, “have a high success rate and can be carried out immediately without devices, which which saves valuable time.
These protocols are designed to save the lives of adults, children and even babies who are drowning. People can also perform a Heimlich on themselves, using the back of a chair or the edge of a counter.
“If you choose to use an anti-choking device, use it only after established choking rescue protocols have failed,” the FDA added. “The safety and effectiveness of over-the-counter anti-choking devices have not been established.”
More information
Johns Hopkins Medicine offers more information on first aid for choking.
SOURCE: U.S. Food and Drug Administration, news release, April 22, 2024
