Abstract

Objectives: The present study was undertaken to determine whether sustained manual abdominal compression (SMAC) using left paramedian compression technique can improve coronary perfusion pressure (CPP) during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and resuscitation outcomes without causing liver laceration.

Methods: Ventricular fibrillation was induced in 14 pigs, and circulatory arrest was maintained for 6 min. Animals were resuscitated either by standard CPR (control group) or by standard CPR with SMAC (SMAC-CPR group).

Results: Mean blood pressure, aortic diastolic pressure and right atrial diastolic pressure in the SMAC-CPR group were significantly greater than in the control group throughout simulated basic life support. However, since the increases in aortic and right atrial diastolic pressures were similar, no significant intergroup difference was found in terms of CPP. Return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) was attained in four of seven animals in the control group and in six of seven animals in the SMAC-CPR group (p = 0.55). Three animals in the control group and four in the SMAC-CPR group survived 24 h after ROSC (p = 1.00). Two of the seven animals in the SMAC-CPR group had a ruptured liver, but no such injury occurred in the control group.

Conclusions: SMAC using left paramedian compression technique failed to improve CPP during CPR and resuscitation outcomes. Furthermore, this method could not avoid liver laceration.