Closed-Chest Cardiac Resuscitation

DURING the past four years the development of closed-chest cardiac massage has been a dramatic addition to the treatment of medical emergencies. Since the reintroduction of the closed-chest technic by Kouwenhoven et al.,1 in combination with artificial ventilation, it has been clearly demonstrated to be potentially lifesaving in the hands of a skilled physician. This procedure has virtually eliminated the need for opening the chest to provide artificial circulation in cases in which the heart has stopped. In a series of cases from the Johns Hopkins Hospital 138 episodes of cardiac arrest in 118 patients were treated with external cardiac . . .