Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 19, 2026

Implantation of Electroencephalogram and Electrocardiogram Telemetry Devices in Neonatal Rabbit Kits
Published on: February 28, 2025
Evolution of our knowledge of sudden death due to commotio cordis
Leslie A Geddes1, Rebecca A Roeder
1Department of Biomedical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907-2022, USA. geddes@ecn.purdue.edu
Abstract:
Commotio cordis refers to circulatory arrest due to a nonpenetrating blow to the chest. First discovered in 1932 in a study using large rabbits, it came to the attention of clinicians who encountered children dying suddenly from a chest blow while engaging in sports activities. This review traces the history of commotio cordis, establishes the conditions necessary for sudden death from a nonpenetrating chest blow, and presents the first ECG record showing that a chest blow landing in the ventricular vulnerable period can produce ventricular fibrillation. The conditions necessary for sustaining ventricular fibrillation and numerous examples of sudden death by commotio cordis are presented.
Related Concept Videos
Introduction Cardiac Emergencies
Hemorrhagic Stroke ll: Pathophysiology
Acute Coronary Syndrome II: Pathophysiology and Clinical Manifestations
Coronary Artery Disease II: Pathophysiology
Acute Coronary Syndrome I: Introduction
Coronary Artery Disease III: Clinical Manifestations

