Pocket device helps Nepalese earthquake victims breathe

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Among the Israeli medical innovations that paramedic Dov Maisel brought to Nepal to treat victims after last month’s devastating earthquake was the Pocket BVM (bag valve mask), a uniquely collapsible version of an essential device that emergency medical crews need for manual resuscitation and respiratory support. Maisel isn’t only a user of the Pocket BVM; he’s also one of its inventors. On the market since 2007 from the Jerusalem-based company MicroBVM, the inexpensive Pocket BVM folds into a protective case, allowing EMS workers to fit 20 of the devices into the space of two regular-sized resuscitators — yet once unfolded, the units look and operate the same as regular ones. For responders to mass casualty scenes such as in Nepal, the ability to carry several BVMs is critical. More...