Nasal route to ventilation during basic cardiopulmonary resuscitation in children under two months of age

• Published in: Resuscitation Vol. 35; no. 3; pp. 249 - 252
• Main Authors: Sorribes del Castillo, J, Carrión Pérez, C, Sanz Ribera, J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Ireland Elsevier Ireland Ltd 01.11.1997
• Subjects: Adult; American Heart Association; Apnea - therapy; Basic cardiopulmonary resuscitation; Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation - education; Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation - methods; Cephalometry; Europe; Face - anatomy & histology; Feasibility Studies; Guidelines as Topic; Humans; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Infants resuscitation; Mouth - anatomy & histology; Nasal resuscitation; Nasal ventilation; Nose - physiology; Respiration; Teaching; United States; United States; Europe; Basic cardiopulmonary resuscitation; Nasal resuscitation; Infants resuscitation; Nasal ventilation
• ISSN: 0300-9572; 1873-1570
• DOI: 10.1016/S0300-9572(97)00069-5

In order to determine the feasibility of performing mouth to mouth and nose resuscitation according to the established guidelines, a study was carried out on the facial dimensions of 40 children under 2 months of age (20 under 1 month and 20 aged 1 month) and the open-mouth dimensions of the 40 adults in charge of these children. Only nine adults in charge of children under 1 month of age would have been able to seal the mouth and nose of these infants. In the case of the 1 month old infants, only one adult (5%) proved able to encircle the mouth and nose. Strikingly, none of the adults involved in this study would have been able to perform the ventilation manoeuvres in children with open mouths as recommended by the American Heart Association and European Resuscitation Council guidelines. In conclusion, since adults are unable to cover with their mouths both the mouth and nose of the infants, the nasal route to ventilation, with oral sealing of the nose, is recommended as the best approach for the practice and teaching of the basic cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in children under 2 months of age who have respiratory arrest.