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Published on: February 9, 2022
Methods for determining pediatric thoracic force-deflection characteristics from cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
Matthew R Maltese1, Thomas Castner, Dana Niles
1The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, 3535 Market Street, 11th Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA. maltese@email.chop.edu
Pediatric cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) provided crucial chest force and deflection data for developing child safety systems. This novel method offers valuable insights into pediatric biomechanics, overcoming limitations of traditional post-mortem human subject testing.
Area of Science:
- Biomechanics
- Pediatric Medicine
- Injury Biomechanics
Background:
- Accurate pediatric thoracic data is essential for designing child occupant safety systems.
- Traditional methods using post-mortem human subjects (PMHS) are limited by the scarcity of pediatric samples.
- Novel approaches are needed to gather pediatric biomechanical data for vehicle safety research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To measure the force-deflection characteristics of the thorax in children and young adults during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).
- To establish a method for collecting pediatric biomechanical data using clinical CPR procedures.
- To inform the development of biofidelic pediatric anthropomorphic test devices (ATDs).
Main Methods:
- Integrated a force and deflection sensor into a monitor-defibrillator for use during pediatric CPR.
- Collected thoracic force and deflection data from 18 subjects (ages 8-22) during CPR events.
- Analyzed compression cycles using a parallel spring-damper model to determine stiffness and damping properties.
Main Results:
- Average maximum chest deflection was 39 ± 5 mm, with a corresponding force of 309 ± 55 N.
- Thoracic stiffness and damping characteristics were quantified and correlated with age.
- Findings suggest thoracic stiffness increases from youth to middle age and decreases in the elderly.
Conclusions:
- Clinical CPR provides a viable method for collecting pediatric thoracic biomechanical data.
- The data gathered can improve the biofidelity of pediatric ATDs for vehicle safety.
- Further research with larger, diverse age groups can elucidate age-related changes in thoracic mechanics.
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