Ok this is a repost of this question in what I hope is a clearer description. Ok so if you know standard CPR you know that you apply pressure into the sternum to manually pump the heart. My question is would it be as effective instead of pressing into the sternum, risking broken bones, to use this procedure. 1. Position yourself behind the patient and grab them around their chest in a bear hug.
2. Lean the patient to the left and right in a kind of teeter-totter fashion.
What your trying to accomplish is a piston action for the ribcage. As you lean the ribcage to the left and right you will accomplish two things. 1. You will work the lungs in and out due to the ribs pressing into one side then the other. 2. You press the ribs into the heart to circulate blood.
That's my theory anyways. I've never had the opportunity to put it into practice. Just seems like physiologically your doing the same thing as pressing down on the chest only in a way that is natural and risk free to the body. To try this just on yourself give yourself a hug and just rock your body to the left and right. What you should feel is your lungs kind of puffing in and out without you actually drawing in a breathe and your heart rate should elevate substantially even tho your not doing that much work. I have to attribute this to the compression effect of the ribs into the heart generating additional beats. But hey I'm no doctor so what does everyone think???
Also of course you wouldn't use this method on someone with a possible spinal injury.
Scott - I think if you try to perform this on a person with a back fracture, you're going to get sued.
ReplyDeleteChristian Wife 1410 - I can appreciate that you are thinking to advance in current CPR guidelines, however, there are a few flaws.
ReplyDelete1. Post arrest, individuals are heavy and slumped. You would need to be extremely strong to lift them up.
2. Lifting them up against there weight, then using that weight to compress lungs/heart would undoubtedly cause severe damage to heart/lungs and infact break more ribs than standard CPR.
3. During CPR many other procedures are taking place. Out of hospital - airway management, possibly IV access, defibrillation. In hospital - airway management, oxygen therapy, IV Access and IV fluids, administration of drugs, defibrillation, continual assessing the patient for cardiac output, obtain arterial bloods etc etc
4. If the patient has a shockable rhythm (VF or pulseless VT) you would possibly shocking them every 2 minutes, with seamless compression to shocking sync. This would be impossible if you had to put the patient down and pick them back up. **defibrillators found in communal areas are automatic and should decide if the rhythm is shockable** hospital/ambulance defibs are manual therefore you must assess the cardiac rhythm and decide whether to shock or not.
5. The patient will be more likely to vomit if in an upright position.
6. Blood flow will go away from the heart and head thus going against the whole principle of CPR.
Hope this helps.