title: Update on mechanical cardiopulmonary resuscitation devices.
abstract: The aim of this review is to update and discuss the use of mechanical chest compression devices in treatment of cardiac arrest.
  
  
  
  Three recently published large multicenter randomized trials have not been able to show any improved outcome in adult out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients when compared with manual chest compressions.
  
  
  
  Mechanical chest compression devices have been developed to better deliver uninterrupted chest compressions of good quality. Prospective large randomized studies have not been able to prove a better outcome compared to manual chest compressions; however, latest guidelines support their use when high-quality manual chest compressions cannot be delivered. Mechanical chest compressions can also be preferred during transportation, in the cath-lab and as a bridge to more invasive support like extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Sciences/Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: Sten
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rubertsson
mesh_terms: D016887:Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D004867:Equipment Design / Q000639:trends; D015199:Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation; D006323:Heart Arrest / Q000628:therapy*; D006336:Heart Massage / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D058687:Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest; D011312:Pressure; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic