Successful Cardiac Massage for Cardiac Arrest Following Coronary Thrombosis

Notes on Cardiac Resuscitation, Including External Cardiac Massage

“…Though it is impossible to base any conclusions on these few observations, experimental work in dogs has shown that after procainamide ventricular fibrillation is less readily induced and more easily stopped by an appropriate electrical stimulus (Herrod et al, 1952). Procaine injected direct into the heart has been used from the early days of cardiac resuscitation in the operating-theatre (Beck, 1941), and Walton (1960) reported the termination of fibrillation in his patient after an intravenous injection. Julian (1961) electrically defibrillated a patient after intravenous procainamide when numerous earlier attempts had failed.…”

“…He was dressed in his street clothes when death and resuscitation occurred." Their dramatic account showed the possibility of reviving the victims of cardiac arrest outside the operating-theatre, and was followed by further reports of successful resuscitation by thoracotomy and direct cardiac massage (Reagan et al, 1956 ;Celio, 1956;Walton, 1960;Straight et al, 1961 ;Brass and Kendell, 1961). The introduction of external cardiac massage by Kouwenhoven et al (1960) has now given a further impetus to attempts at the rescue of medical patients.…”