DOI: 10.36347/sjams.2017.v05i10.018

Pages: 3897-3900

We retrospectively investigated the risk factors of occurrence of rib fracture or pneumothorax after chest compression for patients with cardiopulmonary arrest (CPA) using computed tomography (CT). From March 2016 to February 2017, a medical chart review was retrospectively performed for all patients with out-of-hospital endogenous CPA. The subjects were divided into four groups: a rib fracture (RF) + group, which included patients who had rib fractures identified by CT; an RF – group; a pneumothorax (PX) + group, which included patients who had PX identified by CT; and a PX – group. During the investigation period, 100 patients were enrolled as subjects in the present study. Rib fracture was observed in 73 subjects. Pneumothorax was observed in 8 subjects. The rate of female gender, the average age and the rate of witness collapse were significantly higher in the RF + group than in the RF – group. The duration from the commencement of CPR by the EMTs to the CT examination in the RF + group was significantly longer than in the RF – group. The average age, rate of witness collapse and existence of rib fracture were significantly higher in the PX+ group than in the PX – group. The present study demonstrated that, among patients with out-of-hospital CPA, female gender, advanced age, witness collapse and a longer duration from the commencement of CPR by the EMT to the CT examination were risk factors for rib fractures.