Colin Fiedler, an Australian from Victoria, is now the third person in the country to be saved by a new cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) technique. The method was performed by the Alfred Hospital using two new techniques that are currently available in Australia before any other country.

The Alfred Hospital is performing trials on a heart-lung machine as well as a mechanical CPR machine that performs chest compressions. Heart-lung machines are usually used exclusively in operating rooms because they are large and require constant monitoring of patients.

Mr. Fiedler is one of seven people treated with the AutoPulse machine, a type of CPR machine, and one of three that has been saved after being considered clinically dead for more than 40 minutes. The time that the patient is kept alive while on the machine gives doctors enough time to discover the cause of the cardiac arrest and treat the patient. The machines keep oxygen and blood flowing to vital organs and the brain to prevent permanent damage.

The AutoPulse CPR machine, made by the company Revivant, is only available in three ambulances. Revivant has said that it will provide more machines to medical facilities.