title: Abdominal compressions do not achieve similar survival rates compared with chest compressions: an experimental study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study is to investigate whether abdominal compression cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) would result in similar survival rates and neurologic outcome than chest compression CPR in a swine model of cardiac arrest.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty Landrace/Large White piglets were randomized into 2 groups: group A (n = 20) was resuscitated using chest compression CPR, and group B (n = 20) was resuscitated with abdominal compression CPR. Ventricular fibrillation was induced with a pacemaker catheter, and animals were left untreated for 8 minutes. Abdominal and chest compressions were applied with a mechanical compressor. Defibrillation was then attempted.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Neuron-specific enolase and S-100 levels were significantly higher in group B. Ten animals survived for 24 hours in group A in contrast to only 3 animals in group B (P < .05). Neurologic alertness score was worse in group B compared with group A.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Abdominal compression CPR does not improve survival and neurologic outcome in this swine model of cardiac arrest and CPR.
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Surgery and Surgical Research, University of Athens Medical School, Greece.
authors.forename: Theodoros
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Xanthos
authors.forename: Eleni
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bassiakou
authors.forename: Ismene
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Dontas
authors.forename: Ioannis
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Pantazopoulos
authors.forename: Pavlos
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lelovas
authors.forename: Evangelia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kouskouni
authors.forename: Lila
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Papadimitriou
mesh_terms: D000005:Abdomen; D000818:Animals; D016887:Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004562:Electrocardiography; D006323:Heart Arrest / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D011897:Random Allocation; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D015996:Survival Rate; D013552:Swine; D013909:Thorax