External cardiac defibrillation during wet-surface cooling in pigs.
OBJECTIVE
During surface cooling with ice-cold water, safety and effectiveness of transthoracic defibrillation was assessed.


METHODS
In a pig ventricular fibrillation cardiac arrest model, once (n = 6), defibrillation was done first in a dry and then in a wet condition using the ThermoSuit System (Life Recovery Systems, HD, LLC, Kinnelon, NJ), which circulates a thin layer of ice-cold water (approximately 4 degrees C) over the skin surface. Another time (n = 6), defibrillation was done first in a wet and then in a dry condition. Success of defibrillation was defined as restoration of spontaneous circulation, and the current and voltage of the defibrillation signal was measured.


RESULTS
There was a tendency toward less number of shocks needed for achieving restoration of spontaneous circulation in the wet condition as compared with the number of shocks needed in the dry condition. The energy delivered in both dry and wet conditions was 144 +/- 3 J.


CONCLUSIONS
Transthoracic defibrillation is safe and effective in a wet condition after cooling with ice-cold water.
Schratter
Alexandra
A
Department of Emergency Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria.
Weihs
Wolfgang
W
Holzer
Michael
M
Janata
Andreas
A
Behringer
Wilhelm
W
Losert
Udo M
UM
Ohley
William J
WJ
Schock
Robert B
RB
Sterz
Fritz
F
D000287:Administration, Topical; D000818:Animals; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004554:Electric Countershock / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D007036:Hypothermia, Induced / Q000379:methods*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011897:Random Allocation; D013499:Surface Properties; D013552:Swine; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014693:Ventricular Fibrillation / Q000628:therapy*; D014867:Water / Q000008:administration & dosage*
D014867:Water