Cardiopulmonary resuscitation by intrathoracic pressure variations--in vivo studies and computer simulation

The effect of intrathoracic pressure variations on the hemodynamics of dogs with cardiac arrest were studied experimentally and simulated on a computer. High intrathoracic pressure (up to 90 mm Hg) was generated by lung inflation with passive and active modes of external fixation. Abdominal binding was found to be essential for the generation of high intrathoracic pressure. Remarkable Doppler flow signals were detected over the femoral artery with each lung inflation. Blood gases measured after 30 minutes of cardiac fibrillation in dogs together with intrathoracic pressure variations showed well oxygenated arterial blood with metabolic acidosis. A computer model was used to explore the effects of intrathoracic pressure variations over a large range of parameters. For intrathoracic pressure of 50/0 mm Hg. the mathematical model predicted maximal flow of 663 ml/min, occurring at a rate of 115 cpm, with a duty cycle of 58%. The heart showed only minor volume changes during the cycle, indicating its main function as a passive conduit during cardiopulmonary resuscitation. The data show that intrathoracic pressure variation with no direct heart compression can cause systemic blood flow of the magnitude occurring in most cardiopulmonary resuscitation techniques.