Design of a new feedback device for cardiopulmonary resuscitation

Several technical approaches were evaluated to improve the performance of rescuers, but to our knowledge no attempt was realized to develop a feedback device to supervise the combination of passive ventilation and chest compressions. The purpose of this work is the design and the implementation of a new CPR feedback device, based on an accelerometer to measure chest compressions (CC) depth and frequency, flow and pressure sensors ensuring the measurement of the passive ventilation generated by only CC and an user interface installed on a computer to acquire and supervise, in real time, the different variations. The proposed device is tested by 20 volunteers inexperienced in CPR with 2 minutes of continuous CC on a thoracic lung model, which we developed, to evaluate the functioning of the device and observe its effect on the participant's performance. The 2 min mean CC rate was within AHA 2015 guidelines with the use of the device, where 74% of CC frequency was in adequate range. Correct CC depth was achieved by 53 % of all compressions with a mean of 52.6 ± 7.7 mm. Correct CC depth was greater for male vs. female (p = 0.002). However, CC frequency rate was greater for female vs male (p=0.003). 45 % of CC are performed in correct rate (100-120 min
^-1
) and correct depth (50-60 mm) using the device. The intra-thoracic pressure generated by the CC alone was 18.9 ± 3.9 cmH
₂
O with a tidal volume of 77.2 ± 19.6 ml. Our results are in accordance with previous findings. Further clinical studies are required in order to evaluate its efficiency and see if it contributes to an improvement in the CPR outcomes.