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Cardiac arrest - out of hospital care - Management
Basis for recommendation
These recommendations are based on guidelines from the Resuscitation Council (UK) [Resusucitation Council, 2010].
- Expert reviewers agreed that that the benefits of continuing chest compressions outweigh those of a rib injury.
- No injury to the casualty is likely to occur from fractured costal cartilages, and the alternative is certain death. In the event of successful resuscitation, the chest wall will usually heal quickly.
- Rib fractures are a known complication of closed chest compressions and do not usually influence the outcome.
- Several reviewers recommended that the hand position of the rescuer should be checked before continuing compressions.
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