Comparison of different methods of more effective chest compressions during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in the dental chair

INTRODUCTION: When performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on a patient who has suffered a cardiopulmonary arrest during dental treatment, few dental chairs have sufficient stability to perform effective chest compressions. We previously proposed a method of stabilizing the backrest of a dental chair using a support stool. As a result, we confirmed that the vertical displacement of the backrest could be significantly reduced. In the present study, we verified the effectiveness of the stool stabilization method using several dental chairs (flat and curved) with significantly different backrest shapes. METHODS: Vertical displacement of the backrests of dental chairs was recorded. Data were obtained at three different stool positions (without a stool, under the chest at the level that participants were performing manual chest compressions, and under the shoulders). Reduction displacement ratios were calculated to evaluate the effectiveness of the stool positions. RESULTS: The method significantly reduced the vertical displacement of the backrest for all types. When the curvature of the backrest was large, the reduction in vertical displacement was 40% when the stool was placed under the chest at the level of manual chest compressions and 65% when placed underneath the shoulder. In the case of a flat dental chair, this reduction was 90% when using a stool in either position, compared to no stool. CONCLUSION: When we need to perform CPR on a patient in the dental chair, placing a stool under the shoulders allows effective manual chest compression by firmly supporting the backrest of a dental chair of any shape.