Learn more about SPEAR
SPEAR refers to Specialist Percutaneous Emergency Aortic Resuscitation. It is an intervention performed on some cardiac arrest patients. It involves inserting a needle into the patient’s arteries in the groin to measure blood pressure beat by beat.
Specialist Percutaneous Emergency Aortic Resuscitation
This helps EAAA clinicians at scene to be more accurate in the management of a cardiac arrest and deliver effective treatment. It can provide real-time feedback regarding the quality of CPR being delivered and ensure adequate blood supply to the patient’s brain and heart.
It’s an advanced technique and the most technically demanding procedure we carry out, as patients in cardiac arrest would be receiving chest compressions when the needles are inserted.
We’re pleased and proud to see POCUS and SPEAR being used extensively by so many clinicians to benefit patients in what may be the worst moments of their or their families' lives. We remain so grateful that it is thanks to the support of the public that we can lead the way with these innovative interventions to benefit the local community when they need us most.
— Dr Jon Barrett, EAAA
Sharing our knowledge with others
We share our expertise and knowledge of cutting-edge procedures, including SPEAR, with others to improve patient outcomes.
Specific to EAAA’s Academy of Pre-hospital Medicine, our SPEAR course attracts national and international delegates who want to implement the technique further afield. The day courses complement theory with plenty of hands-on practice and simulations to develop skills in the pre-hospital environment.
