Cardiac arrests in the operating room-Part I. (1965-1974)

A ten-year review of the incidence of cardiac arrest in the operating suite at the St. Boniface General Hospital has been presented. Seventy cardiac arrest occurred during this period, and 29 were permanently resuscitated for a survival rate of 41.4 per cent. This rate compares favourably with the published experince of other centres. It does not, however, reflect an improvement over the survival rates published prior to 1960, a point in time when direct cardiac compression for the management of these cases was virtually abandoned in favor of external cardiac compression. To improve survival, a plea is made for return to early use of thoracotomy and direct cardiac compression in the treatment of cardiac arrest in the operating room. To accomplish this end all surgeons and anaesthetists should become familiar not only with the techniques required for these procedures, but also with the prevention and management of any associated complications.