摘要 |
An apparatus and method to be used in CPR to promote diastolic filling of the heart in cardiac arrest situations during external or internal cardiac compression. A rigid backboard provided with a tilting apparatus to incline the backboard to a desired degree. The backboard can be also provided with a tiltable segment for forward head flexion. The body of a patient victim of cardiac arrest is placed supine over the rigid backboard and the backboard is tilted by actuation of the tilting apparatus to a desired angle thus positioning the patient with feet up and chest down, so that the lower extremities are higher than the abdomen and tilted down toward the abdomen, and the abdomen higher than the chest and tilted down toward the chest. Likewise, being the head flexed forward in respect to the remainder of the body, the head is positioned higher than the heart, and tilted down toward the heart. As a result of such a positioning, the blood in the venous system of the lower extremities, of the abdomen and head will be draining down toward the heart by gravity improving diastolic filling and ultimately will improve cardiac output with internal or external cardiac compressions being carried out with the patient maintained in such position. |