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Favourable outcome after 26 minutes of "Compression only" resuscitation: a case report

Jon Erik Steen-Hansen1

  • 1Prehospital Clinic, Vestfold Hospital Trust and Telemark Hospital Trust, Box 2168, NO-3103 Tønsberg, Norway. jon.erik.steen-hansen@siv.no

Scandinavian Journal of Trauma, Resuscitation and Emergency Medicine
|April 20, 2010
PubMed

Insights

Early cardiac compression-only resuscitation (CC-only) for over 25 minutes may prevent neurological damage in cardiac arrest patients. This approach can maintain circulation and gas exchange until professional help arrives.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Emergency Medicine
  • Resuscitation Science

Background:

  • Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) requires immediate intervention.
  • Traditional cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) includes chest compressions and rescue breaths.
  • The efficacy of compression-only CPR (CO-CPR) in prolonged downtime scenarios is an area of ongoing research.

Observation:

  • A 49-year-old male experienced ventricular fibrillation secondary to ST-elevation myocardial infarction.
  • The patient received 26 minutes of wife-administered CC-only resuscitation before EMS arrival.
  • Gasping and moaning were noted during the CC-only period, suggesting some physiological activity.

Findings:

  • EMS arrival at 30 minutes revealed fine ventricular fibrillation.
  • Restoration of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) was achieved after 49 minutes total downtime, including four defibrillatory shocks.
  • The patient recovered fully without cerebral damage and was discharged after eight days.

Implications:

  • Prolonged CC-only resuscitation may be sufficient to prevent neurological deficits in SCA.
  • This case supports the use of CC-only instructions by emergency medical dispatch centers for bystanders.
  • Early and effective chest compressions alone can be a life-saving intervention in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.
Abstract

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