We examined the question of whether one-handchest compression for a small child could compress intraabdominal organs.
METHODS:
We retrospectively examined medical charts and multidirectional computed tomography (MDCT) images obtained from childrenaged 1 to 18 years who presented to the hospital from March 2002 to March 2012. We measured the length of the sternum (Stotal) and the length of the lower half of the sternum (Stotal/2~X). We also measured the distance from the diaphragm to the midpoint of the sternum (Stotal/2~D) and half the width of an adulthand (Wtotal/2). Finally, we counted the number of instances at each age in which Stotal/2~X and Stotal/2~D were less than Wtotal/2.
RESULTS:
This study included records and MDCT images for 301 children with a mean age of 12.05+/-5.59 years. We also enrolled 47 adult rescuers (25 men, 53.2%) with a mean age of 23.20+/-2.13 years. The mean Wtotal/2 was 4.62+/-0.46 cm. All 1-year-old children had Stotal/2~X and Stotal/2~D less than Wtotal/2. Among childrenaged 2 years, six (60.0%) had Stotal/2~X and Stotal/2~D less than Wtotal/2. Among childrenaged 3 years, four (26.7%) had Stotal/2~X and Stotal/2~D less than Wtotal/2, and among those aged 4 years, two (13.3%) had Stotal/2~X and Stotal/2~D less than Wtotal/2. However, Stotal/2~X and Stotal/2~D were greater than Wtotal/2 in childrenaged 5 years or more.
CONCLUSION:
Our measurements indicate that one-handchest compression for a small child could cause intraabdominal organ injury.