Transthoracic application of electrical cardiopulmonary resuscitation for treatment of cardiac arrest.
OBJECTIVE
Observational studies have shown that muscular stimulation contracting the thoracic cage may produce coronary perfusion pressures equal to manual chest compressions. This study examined electrical cardiopulmonary resuscitation for coronary perfusion pressures during ventricular fibrillation in a porcine model of cardiac arrest.


METHODS
Prospective randomized controlled study.


METHODS
University affiliated research institute.


METHODS
Domestic male pigs.


METHODS
In seven domestic male pigs (40 +/- 2 kg), ventricular fibrillation was induced electrically and untreated for 10 secs. For each ventricular fibrillation episode, one of 16 electrical cardiopulmonary resuscitation stimulation protocols (pulse trains) or manual chest compression was applied. Each compression protocol was applied for 20 secs, followed by a defibrillation shock. The experimental procedure was performed across one or more randomized complete blocks. The electrical cardiopulmonary resuscitation pulse trains were defined by four two-level factors: pulse width (0.15 and 7.5 msec), pulse period (15 and 30 msec), train width (50 and 200 msec), and train rate (60 or 120 compressions per min). Pulse trains comprised two groups, based on pulse width (skeletal-based, 0.15 msec; cardiac-based, 7.5 msec).


RESULTS
Train width was the significant design parameter for producing efficacious levels of coronary perfusion pressures for the skeletal-based electrical cardiopulmonary resuscitation pulse trains (p = 0.02). Both train width and train rate were significant design parameters for producing efficacious levels of coronary perfusion pressures for the cardiac-based electrical cardiopulmonary resuscitation pulse trains (p < 0.001, p = 0.5, respectively). Optimal skeletal-based and cardiac-based electrical cardiopulmonary resuscitation pulse trains were significantly better than ventricular fibrillation (p = 0.01, p = 0.01, respectively) and equivalent to manual chest compression (p = 0.2, p = 0.7, respectively) for sufficient coronary perfusion pressure levels.


CONCLUSIONS
Optimal skeletal-based and cardiac-based electrical cardiopulmonary resuscitation pulse train parameters generated levels of coronary perfusion pressure significantly greater than ventricular fibrillation and comparable with manual chest compression over a short interval of untreated cardiac arrest.
Wang
Hao
H
Weil Institute of Critical Care Medicine, Rancho Mirage, CA, USA.
Brewer
James E
JE
Guan
Jun
J
Gilman
Byron
B
Sun
Shijie
S
Li
Yongqin
Y
Castillo
Carlos
C
Kroll
Mark W
MW
Weil
Max Harry
MH
Tang
Wanchun
W
D000818:Animals; D016887:Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation / Q000379:methods*; D003326:Coronary Circulation; D004452:Echocardiography; D006323:Heart Arrest / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D015425:Myocardial Reperfusion; D012121:Respiration, Artificial; D013552:Swine; D013909:Thorax; D014693:Ventricular Fibrillation / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*