• Zachary Shinar, Joseph Bellezzo, Marcia Stahovich, Sheldon Cheskes, Suzanne Chillcott, and Walter Dembitsky.
• Sharp Memorial Hospital, 7901 Frost Street, San Diego, CA 92123, United States. Electronic address: zshinar@hotmail.com.
• Resuscitation. 2014 May 1;85(5):702-4.

IntroductionThe number of patients with left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) is increasing each year. Despite a lack of evidence, many emergency medical systems and hospitals have recommended against performing chest compressions in these patients. This deviation from conventional resuscitation algorithms is secondary to concern that chest compressions could dislodge the LVAD.ObjectiveTo assess whether cannula dislodgment occurred in LVAD patients receiving chest compressions.MethodsWe retrospectively analyzed the outcomes of all LVAD patients who received chest compressions for cardiac arrest over a four year period in a large urban hospital. Eight cases were reviewed for both cannula integrity and outcomes.ResultsUsing autopsy and adequate flow through device as proxy for intact inflow/outflow cannulas, none of the eight patients receiving chest compressions had cannula dislodgment. Four of the 8 patients had return of neurologic function.ConclusionsIn this small retrospective case series, standard chest compressions in patients with LVADs did not cause cannula dislodgment. More research is necessary to determine the utility of chest compressions in the LVAD population.Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

20 keywords...

hide…