Discriminating the effect of accelerated compression from accelerated decompression during high-impulse CPR in a porcine model of cardiac arrest

Aim of the study

Piston based mechanical chest compression devices deliver compressions and decompressions in an accelerated pattern, resulting in superior haemodynamics compared to manual compression in animal studies. The present animal study compares haemodynamics during two different hybrid compression patterns to a standard compression pattern resembling that of modern mechanical chest compression devices.

Method

In 12 anaesthetized domestic pigs in ventricular fibrillation, coronary perfusion pressures (CPP) and cerebral cortical blood flow (CCBF) was measured, and transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) was performed. Two hybrid compression patterns, one with accelerated trapezoid compression and slower sinusoid decompression (TrS), and one with slower sinusoid compression and accelerated trapezoid decompression (STr), were tested against a standard accelerated trapezoid compression-decompression pattern (TrTr) in a cross-over randomised setup.

Results

There were 7% (1, 14, p = 0.046) lower CCBF and 3 mmHg (1, 5, p = 0.017) lower CPP with the TrS compared to TrTr pattern. No significant difference between STr and TrTr pattern in either CCBF, 6% (−3, 15, p = 0.176) or CPP, 0 mmHg (−2, 3, p = 0.703) was present. Our TEE recordings were insufficient for haemodynamic comparison between the different compression-decompression patterns. Despite standardized sternal piston position and placement of the pigs, TEE revealed varying degree of asymmetrical heart chamber compression in the animals.

Conclusion

Both cardiac and cerebral perfusion benefited from accelerated decompression, while accelerated compression did not improve haemodynamics. The evolution of mechanical CPR is dependent on further research on mechanisms generating forward blood flow during external chest compressions.