• Tuba Betül Ümit, Ozgur Sogut, Adem Az, Sümeyye Cakmak, and Ilhami Demirel.
• University of Health Sciences, Haseki Training and Research Hospital, Department of Emergency Medicine - Istanbul, Turkey.
• Rev Assoc Med Bras (1992). 2022 Jan 1; 68 (10): 147014751470-1475.

ObjectiveWe investigated the relationship between thoracic diameters and chest compression-related thoracoabdominal injury in patients with non-traumatic out-of-hospital cardiac arrest who had a return of spontaneous circulation after cardiopulmonary resuscitation.MethodsA total of 63 consecutive adult non-traumatic out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients were enrolled in this prospective study. Computed tomography was performed on each patient and the anteroposterior diameter, skin-to-skin anteroposterior diameter, and transverse diameter of the chest were measured. Patients were divided into two groups based on the presence or absence of cardiopulmonary resuscitation-related thoracoabdominal injury. Age, sex, and duration of cardiopulmonary resuscitation, anteroposterior diameter, skin-to-skin anteroposterior diameter, and transverse diameter were compared between the groups. The primary outcome was the relationship between thoracic diameters and cardiopulmonary resuscitation-induced thoracoabdominal injuries.ResultsThoracoabdominal injuries were detected in 46% (n=29) of the patients and consisted of rib fractures in 22 (34.9%) patients, pulmonary contusion in 7 (11.1%), and sternal fracture in 3 (4.8%) patients. There were no significant differences in cardiopulmonary resuscitation duration between patients with and without thoracoabdominal injuries (p=0.539). Similarly, there were no significant differences in anteroposterior diameter, skin-to-skin anteroposterior diameter, or transverse diameter between patient groups (p=0.978, p=0.730, and p=0.146, respectively) or between patients who died within the first 28 days and those who survived for longer than 28 days (p=0.488, p=0.878, and p=0.853, respectively).ConclusionThe iatrogenic thoracoabdominal injuries caused by cardiopulmonary resuscitation performed according to the cardiopulmonary resuscitation guidelines were independent of thoracic diameters. Therefore, the cardiac compression depth of 5-6 cm recommended by the current cardiopulmonary resuscitation guidelines is reliable for patients with different thoracic diameters.

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