CPR Breaking Bones

How often are bones broken when giving CPR? My friend who is in rescue said that broken bones are common among CPR patients.

 

It is common to hear (or even feel) cracking ribs while performing CPR. It really shouldn't be a concern while you are performing CPR though.

 

Like the man said before me...it is common to hear and feel bones cracking but having some broken ribs is a much better outcome than if you stopped cpr due to broken ribs or sternum

 

I can honestly say in all the arrests I've worked, I haven't heard or felt a single crack.

 

To me it feels more like a popping or snapping of cartilage.

 

I always equated that initial popping/cracking sensation to be the cartilage as well. After a few compressions the chest loosens up and provides less resistance. Definitely an odd sensation at first.

 

The first time I felt crepitus, it freaked me out a bit. However, the adrenaline was kicking in pretty heavily, so I just kept on pumping.

 

It's not uncommon for ribs to break during CPR. I've been wondering whether compressions might be more effective once the sternum collapses, particularly on barrel-chested patients.

 

In the series of autopsy cases that survived to hospital admission among my research database, those who underwent CPR almost universally have sternal and/or rib fractures. Of course, these are folks who died of blunt trauma for the most part (some drownings and other assorted causes) but it's nearly universal and a significant increase above the baseline for those who survived long enough to warrant resuscitation efforts.

 

Could you correlate those with sternal fractures to chest compressions, ROSC, and survival to discharge?

 

In my research, the survival rate was zero since we're looking at autopsy data. If they weren't dead before they got to the pathologists, chances are pretty good they were afterwards. LOL