Recent advances in mechanical methods of cardiopulmonary resuscitation

Several new CPR techniques and devices have been developed and tested since the first report of manual closed-chested cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) nearly four decades ago. These devices and techniques include vest CPR, interposed abdominal counterpulation CPR, active compression-decompression CPR, an impedance threshold valve, intra-aortic balloon pump and phased thoracic-abdominal counterpulsation. Many of these new mechanical advances in the treatment of cardiac arrest are currently undergoing clinical evaluation in patients in cardiac arrest.