Abstract
In a previous case report a standard chest compression successfully removed a foreign
body from the airway after the Heimlich manoeuvre had failed. Based on this case,
standard chest compressions and Heimlich manoeuvres were performed by emergency physicians
on 12 unselected cadavers with a simulated complete airway obstruction in a randomised
crossover design. The mean peak airway pressure was significantly lower with abdominal
thrusts compared to chest compressions, 26.4±19.8 cmH2O versus 40.8±16.4 cmH2O, respectively (P=0.005, 95% confidence interval for the mean difference 5.3–23.4 cmH2O). Standard chest compressions therefore have the potential of being more effective
than the Heimlich manoeuvre for the management of complete airway obstruction by a
foreign body in an unconscious patient. Removal of the Heimlich manoeuvre from the
resuscitation algorithm for unconscious patients with suspected airway obstruction
will also simplify training.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: August 17, 2004
Accepted:
November 22,
1999
Identification
Copyright
© 2000 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
