Resuscitation
-
Comparative Study
What do we know about patients dying in the emergency department?
To determine our knowledge in terms of cause of death and quality of death certification about patients who die in the emergency department. To establish the role of autopsy in this matter. ⋯ Autopsy remains a very important tool to establish the cause of death in patients dying in ED. The concordance between the antemortem presumed cause of death recorded in the patient notes and the real cause (all patient data) is poor.
-
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Determination of heart rate in the baby at birth.
The International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR) publishes guidelines on neonatal resuscitation, which are evidence-based where possible. Initial assessment of heart rate, breathing and colour is an essential part of newborn resuscitation and the guidelines state that heart rate may be assessed using a stethoscope, or palpating the umbilical, brachial or femoral pulse. This study aimed to assess the most effective method(s) of heart rate assessment in the newborn baby. ⋯ Umbilical pulsations must not be relied upon if low or absent. In assessing heart rate in newborn resuscitation only the stethoscope is likely to be completely reliable. In the absence of a stethoscope only the umbilical pulse should be used with an awareness of its limitations.
-
Comparative Study
Non-traumatic aortic dissection or rupture as cause of cardiac arrest: presentation and outcome.
To evaluate the frequency, presentation and outcome of non-traumatic aortic dissection/rupture as a cause of cardiac arrest. ⋯ Cardiac arrest caused by aortic dissection/rupture is rare, and mortality remains very high, even when circulation can be restored initially. Common features such as previously known aortic aneurysm, old age, male gender and pulseless electrical activity as initial cardiac rhythm should increase suspicion of the condition.
-
Comparative Study
Frequency of rib and sternum fractures associated with out-of-hospital cardiopulmonary resuscitation is underestimated by conventional chest X-ray.
Fractured ribs and sternum are frequent complications of thoracic compression during CPR in adults. This study was conducted to determine whether findings of plain chest radiography (CXR) correlate with post-mortem findings in patients who underwent cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. ⋯ The findings of this study indicate that fractures associated with CPR are underreported in conventional radiographic investigations. No major bleeding complications related to CPR-associated fractures was detected.
-
The purpose of this study was to assess the attitude of paramedics to on-scene termination of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (T-CPR) efforts in children prior to developing a pediatric T-CPR policy. ⋯ Paramedics feel relatively uncomfortable with the concept of terminating resuscitation efforts in children in the pre-hospital setting.