• Conor Crowley, Justin Salciccioli, Helen Pocock, and Ari Moskowitz.
• Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Lahey Hospital and Medical Center, Burlington.
• Curr Opin Crit Care. 2024 Sep 10.

Purpose Of ReviewMechanical chest compression devices are increasingly deployed during cardiopulmonary resuscitation. We discuss the data supporting the use of mechanical chest compression devices during cardiac arrest and provide an opinion about the future of the technology.Recent FindingsMultiple randomized trials investigating the use of mechanical chest compression devices for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest have not demonstrated improved outcomes. There is little prospective evidence to support the use of mechanical chest compression devices in other settings. Data from observational studies do not support the routine use of mechanical chest compression devices for in-hospital cardiac arrest, but there may be a role for mechanical chest compressions for cardiac arrest in procedural areas and cardiac arrest prior to cannulation for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.SummaryMechanical chest compression devices offer a solution to some of the human limiting factors of resuscitation, but have failed to demonstrate meaningful improvement in outcomes from cardiac arrest. Routine use of mechanical chest compression devices during cardiac arrest is not supported by evidence.Copyright © 2024 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.

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