[The development of a portable life support device for transporting pre-hospital critically ill patients].

OBJECTIVE: To describe a portable life support device for transportation of pre-hospital patients with critical illness. METHODS: The characteristics and requirements for urgent management during transportation of critically ill patients to a hospital were analyzed. With adoption of the original equipment, with the aid of staple of the art soft ware, the overall structure, its installation, fixation, freedom from interference, operational function were studied, and the whole system of life support and resuscitation was designed. RESULTS: The system was composed by different modules, including mechanical ventilation, transfusion, aspiration, critical care, oxygen supply and power supply parts. The system could be fastened quickly to a stretcher to form portable intensive care unit (ICU), and it could be carried by different size vehicles to provide nonstop treatment by using power supply of the vehicle, thus raising the efficiency of urgent care. CONCLUSION: With characteristics of its small size, lightweight and portable, the device is particularly suitable for narrow space and extreme environment.