Introduction: Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is the most important intervention that connects the cardiopulmonary arrests (CPA), to life. Ultrasonography (USG) is used to detect the presence of cardiac activity during CPR.
Methods: Files of the patiens, admitted to Kayseri Training and Research Hospital during one calendar year (2011) and suffered CPA were retrospectively evaluated by using hospital information management system. Patients enrolled in the study should have arrival electrocardiogram and cardiac ultrasound performed and recorded.
Results: A total of 410 patients were included in the study. When we examined the cardiac rhythm on arrival, 290 patients (70.7%) had asystole, 45 (11%) patients had ventricular fibrillation/ pulseless ventricular tachycardia (VF/pVT) and 75 (18.3%) patients had pulseless electrical activity (PEA). Twenty-four hour survival rates of the groups that the cardiac activity was detected with USG on arrival to the Emergency Department were: 2 patients in asystole group, 35 patients in VF/pVT group and 44 patients in PEA group.
Conclusions: Usage of USG during CPR in order to evaluate cardiac contractility, increases the success rate of accomplished CPR.
Keywords: Cardiac sonography; cardiopulmonary arrest; emergency department; cardiopulmonary resuscitation.