Cerebral blood flow measured by transcranial Doppler ultrasound during manual chest wall or automated LUCAS-2 compressions during cardiopulmonary resuscitation

Effective chest wall compressions are essential to ensure a minimum of cerebral blood flow during resuscitation, but manual compression maneuvers are not always efficacious. The LUCAS system delivers chest wall compressions that comply with international recommendations. Using transcranial Doppler ultrasound to measure cerebral blood flow, we compared flow during the cardiopulmonary resuscitation of 6 patients before and after placement of the LUCAS device. Two of the patients in cardiorespiratory arrest secondary to subarachnoid bleeding had no cerebral blood flow with either manual or automated compressions. For the other 4 patients, cerebral blood flow was better during the automated compressions from the LUCAS system. [Emergencias 2012;24:47-49]