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Complications of CPR

According to the American Heart Association, CPR or Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation must be powerful enough to compress a chest 1.5 to 2 inches. This requires about 100 pounds of force into each chest compression. As a result, many complications can occur while using this technique to save lives. Survival rates increase dramatically for people requiring CPR. Therefore, its worth the risk of injury. Depending on the injuries sustained, damage can be minimal to severe and may require intensive medical care.

  1. Rib Fractures

    • Rib fractures are hardly ever life threatening. However, the injury from a broken rib caused by chest compressions during CPR can be serious. Symptoms and signs of a broken rib include rapid breathing, agitation and anxiety and tenderness in the chest. Broken ribs heal well on their own in just a couple months. Management of pain by medication is required to avoid complications of the lungs, like pneumonia. Children and the elderly have the greatest risk for broken bones and other complications during CPR. Other bones, such as the sternum and chest bone can also break when CPR is administered.

    Lung Contusion

    • Lung contusions can occur from the pressure of CPR compressions applied to the chest. Lung contusions are tiny bruises to the lungs and complications can range from mild to severe, even deadly. Severe injuries may require intensive care and mechanical medical ventilation. Other cases may heal themselves with oxygen supplementation and supportive care in the hospital.

    Anterior Mediastinal Hemorrhage

    • CPR complications may result in damage to the capillaries resulting in the collection of fluid and blood in the chest and lung cavities. When Anterior Mediastinal Hemorrhage, or bleeding in the check cavity, occurs, the buildup leads to respiration complications and hypozia, which is when levels of oxygen in the blood are low. Symptoms and signs of Anterior Mediastinal Hemorrhage are coughing blood and chest pains. To heal the patient, a chest tube must be inserted.

    Aspiration

    • When chest compressions are administered during CPR, the pressure can result in vomiting. This can lead to aspiration, or when the vomit is absorbed into the respiratory system. This is a serious complication during CPR. Aspiration can construct the patients air way and cause infection and lung- tissue damage.

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