Drowning victim resuscitated- video

[Dirty-Dog]

So in that video, would you have removed the top to gain better position? Looks like you'd need to, and that's the part I'd be hesitant about?

The Continuous Chest Compression CPR video I found says not recommended for drownings. You think it'd work?

Would I remove her top? Probably not. As a Good Samaritan with no tools, I'd be able to CPR with her top on. In a professional capacity, then yes, although my initial action would be to get her intubated and clear her airway.

Do I think it would work? Statistically, the odds are against her. But you never know. You do what you can and hope for the best.

 

[DandyDon]

OK, I'll weigh in with comments about large-breasted women since I am one. Bras and bathing tops are intended to be confining, so removing or unhooking it would be a good idea for CPR. To preserve modesty, a man's shirt or some other garment or sheet of thin material could be thrown over the chest without impeding compressions.

The woman who finally turned this victim to her side did the smartest thing, and not just because it let the fluid escape from nose and mouth.

From the large-breasted perspective, there are only three ways to keep large breasts from choking oneself - don't laugh, it's a serious concern. One can raise the upper body slightly up from a fully prone position, in which case gravity will keep the breasts downward of the windpipe area. Another method is to turn on the side, making sure the breast tissue isn't trapped up near the throat. Third, especially if the body MUST remain prone, remove bra and let gravity pull a breast to each side to clearly reveal the breastbone, zyphoid process and ribs.

I'm glad this issue was raised. Trainers don't even like to talk about it so I appreciate the opportunity to tell it like it is. If you watch the video again and notice how the victim's various positions affect where her breasts are, you can really see how they can interfere with breathing. I hope if I ever need CPR that someone will care enough to move mine out of the way of resuscitation efforts, which will also make a real difference in my ability to breathe.

Thank you very much. I didn't like asking about it, but didn't want to wait around hoping someone else might - and then I caught some flak from some of the faceless here.

Really, her top seemed pretty confining to my view, and quite full, leaving me to wonder if one could focus pressure on the sternum correctly without jerking the top out of the way. Good Sam laws notwithstanding, I wouldn't want to seem like some pervert coping feels. If the time ever comes in my life, I'll try to not worry about it and do my best.

Would I remove her top? Probably not. As a Good Samaritan with no tools, I'd be able to CPR with her top on. In a professional capacity, then yes, although my initial action would be to get her intubated and clear her airway.

Do I think it would work? Statistically, the odds are against her. But you never know. You do what you can and hope for the best.

I guess you'd have to be there with an actual feel for the situation to know if you needed to. One of the reasons we carry EMT shears I suppose.

 

[biscuit]

Thank you very much. I didn't like asking about it, but didn't want to wait around hoping someone else might - and then I caught some flak from some of the faceless here.

Well, I suppose as long as someone has been spared the responsibility of trying to save a life, the price of flippancy is still affordable.

 

[biscuit]

I forgot to mention in my original post that the woman in the video, and others of us with larger breasts, can have up to 25 pounds weighing down on the lungs if lying flat-- this at a time that breathing already feels impossible. Until a victim can be intubated, it would help if that pressure was removed.

 

[kaerius]

Those untrained bystanders saved her life from the looks of it, no mean feat. The rate of success for even trained people is a measly 1%. This woman was by definition DEAD, and they brought her back to life.

I was taught that doing something and not doing it perfect is better than doing nothing, and this would be the epitome of that truism.

I could elaborate on the things done wrong(like raising the head instead of opening the airway), but honestly, I'd rather give a round of applause.

As for the compression only resuscitation, yes it is something that is on the way, but no it's not a full replacement for CPR with rescue breaths, it's intended for messy situations where the rescuer would not feel comfortable doing or would be unable to do rescue breaths, it's better than not doing CPR at all.

/EFR instructor

 

[cdolphin]

If I should appear to drown while diving....note to bystanders:

Take off my top. I won't sue you.

~signed,
another large breasted diver

 

[Dr Wu]

I forgot to mention in my original post that the woman in the video, and others of us with larger breasts, can have up to 25 pounds weighing down on the lungs if lying flat-- this at a time that breathing already feels impossible. Until a victim can be intubated, it would help if that pressure was removed.

These people proved they cannot adequately provide CPR and you want them to perform a double mastectomy?

 

[alibi 2]

I couldnt agree more. They may not have known exactly what to do but they tried to DO something...The woman was dead if nothing was done and probally wouldnt survive no matter what was done...but it did look like the attempts made revived her a little and give her a small chance..It looked like this was a country were many of us could travel too for a scuba vacation. I know that many of the places I go do have ready access to the emergancy care we have here in the US...My family is all trained in CPR/ first aid and I hope I never have to use it..we also carry O2 when out on our boat..

 

[Farty]

@carrielsal: Which agency? And what "level" of CPR training was this? I'm just curious.

The efficacy of continuous chest compression CPR (CCC-CPR) vs. CPR with rescue breathing is currently being evaluated. One major issue is that bystanders are more likely to initiate CCC-CPR more quickly since the fear of disease transmission via rescue breathing has been removed.

This article discusses some of the issues involved.

The American Heart Association has published these thoughts on hands-only CPR.

I took rescue class with both SSI and PADI and rescue breathing is always done in case of drowning. It is not mentioned once not to do it (at least I have not seen it), as the matter of fact you do rescue breathing (never chest compression) while towing victim to the shore (have fun doing this in fast moving river as I did) if the shore is less than 5 minutes away.

Probably the only reason when you don't do rescue breathing is when you are the only person why tries to save the victim, interrupting chest compression while giving rescue breathing is probably worse than chest compression without rescue breathing - in that case I would probably give 2 rescue breaths and then start chest compression.

 

[kaerius]

Probably the only reason when you don't do rescue breathing is when you are the only person why tries to save the victim, interrupting chest compression while giving rescue breathing is probably worse than chest compression without rescue breathing - in that case I would probably give 2 rescue breaths and then start chest compression.

Typically the situations where you wouldn't do rescue breaths are not diving situations, with few exceptions, like a diver being run over by a jetski or similar, facial bloody mess situations, or otherwise disgusting mess(vomit covered face), or where disease transmission looks like a higher risk than you'd like to take(again, probably not diving related).