[Complications of resuscitative measures with special regard to liver damage (author's transl)]

Dissection material comprising 71 cases (total material evaluated: 3,082 post-mortem examinations) in which resuscitation measures are known to have been carried out in the case history showed 46.5% resuscitation damage, including an incidence of liver ruptures of 8.5% (6 cases), which are given special prominence. In the event of substantial haemascos and temporarily successful resuscitation rupture of the liver has been found to be a significant factor in the advent of death. Liver rupture cannot always be avoided during external cardiac massage even if performed professionally. The fact that the ruptured liver is attributable to resuscitation does not warrant the conclusion that external cardiac massage has been carried out incompetently.