Emergency Medicine: Open Access
Open Access

Abstract

The Effect of the Use of a Stabilizer and Different Height Settings on the Stability of the Dental Chair when Performing High-Quality Chest Compressions

Shinichi Ito, Noriko Karube, Jun Hirokawa, Saori Sako and Takeshi Yokoyama

Background/Aim: In the case of sudden cardiopulmonary arrest (CPA) in a patient in a dental practice, dental professionals have to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in the dental chair. However, not all dental chairs are stable enough for performing chest compressions, as some do not contain steady support under the backrest. We investigated methods for stabilizing the dental chair to increase the efficacy of chest compressions performed in the chair.
Materials and Methods: Chest compressions (with a depth of 5.0 to 6.0 cm) were performed on a CPR manikin that was laid on the backrest of a dental chair. The movement of the chest of the manikin and the displacement of the backrest caused by the chest compressions were recorded as video data, and the mean amplitude of the movement of the backrest at each compression depth was analyzed. We investigated the effect of three different height settings of the dental chair and the use of a round stool as a stabilizer under the backrest on the stability of the dental chair during CPR.
Results: Differences in the height settings of the dental chair did not significantly affect the vertical movement of the backrest caused by chest compressions. The mean amplitudes of the movements of the backrest with and without a stabilizer were 1.99±0.74 cm and 0.43±0.18 cm, respectively.
Conclusion: The placement of a round stool as a stabilizer under the backrest of a dental chair might increase the effectiveness of chest compressions.