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The Evolution Of Abdominal Compression In Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation, Charles F. Babbs

Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications

Objective: To review the history of external abdominal compression as an adjunct to cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), tracking the development of five major themes over the course of the 20th century: 1) augmentation of peripheral resistance by physical means, 2) risk of hepatic injury with abdominal compression, 3) counterpulsation vs. sustained compression, 4) the abdominal pump mechanism, and 5) contact compression techniques. Methods: Literature retrieved from successive MEDLINE English-language searches was reviewed with a special emphasis on work and concepts highlighted by participants at the First Purdue Conference on Interposed Abdominal Compression-CPR, September 1992. Results: External abdominal compression of one form …