Biomedical Engineering and Bioengineering Commons^™

Abdominal Binding And Counterpulsation In Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation, Charles F. Babbs, William E. Blevins

Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications

The history and potential of abdominal pressure as an adjunct to standard cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is reviewed. Abdominal pressure during CPR may be either static or phasic. Static abdominal pressure redirects limited blood flow generated by chest compressions toward the heart and brain, and away from the abdominal organs and lower extremities, thus boosting coronary perfusion pressure. Phasic abdominal pressure applied whenever chest pressure is released, in counterpoint to the rhythm of chest compression—so called interposed abdominal compression (IAC)-CPR—generates blood flow by an independent abdominal pump mechanism that augments the systemic perfusion created by chest compressions. New imaging data are …