Oxygen therapy in the recovery period following clinical death

Summary Forty experiments were carried out on dogs with the employment of oxygen therapy during the period of recovery from clinical death caused by acute hemorrhage. Oxygen therapy was carried out by 3 methods commonly used in the clinic: by an apparatus for artificial circulation, by inhalation of oxygen from a pillow or in an oxygen tent after rehabilitation of spontaneous respiration. The efficacy of oxygen therapy was judged by the general condition of animals, the span of life after the clinical death and by the morphological changes in the brain and internal organs.The animals which are in condition of hypoxia after clinical death possess an increased sensitivity to oxygen and hyperoxia may easily occur, causing their death. Artificial respiration with 100% oxygen in resuscitation during clinical death is not expedient. During the recovery period after clinical death strict dosimetry of oxygen therapy should be observed. Certain favorable effects are obtained only when resuscitation is carried out for 4 hours in a tent with oxygen content of 40–50% in 80–112 minutes after commencing the resucitation.Presented by Active Member AMN SSSR V. N. Chernigovskii