Cardiopulmonary resuscitation and rib fractures in infants. A postmortem radiologic-pathologic study.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the incidence of rib fractures visible at autopsy or with postmortem radiographs after cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in infants younger than 1 year.


METHODS
Retrospective review.


METHODS
Medical examiner's office in a county consisting of a medium-sized city, towns, and rural areas.


METHODS
Ninety-one infants (56 males, 35 females; mean age, 2.4 months; age range, 26 hours to 8.5 months) without evidence of child abuse who had undergone CPR before death.


METHODS
Medical records, skeletal surveys, and autopsy results were reviewed.


RESULTS
No patient had rib fractures.


CONCLUSIONS
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation is unlikely to cause rib fractures in infants.
Spevak
M R
MR
Department of Radiology, University of Massachusetts Medical Center, Worchester 01655.
Kleinman
P K
PK
Belanger
P L
PL
Primack
C
C
Richmond
J M
JM
D001344:Autopsy; D016887:Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002423:Cause of Death; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007226:Infant Mortality; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D011859:Radiography; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012253:Rib Fractures / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology