Chest compression during sustained inflation versus 3:1 compression-to-ventilation ratio during neonatal cardiopulmonary resuscitation of asphyxiated piglets

georgschmoelzer
4 hours ago
2 min read

When a baby is born without enough oxygen, every second counts. Doctors and nurses jump into action, performing newborn CPR — chest compressions and small breaths — to try to restart the baby’s heart and breathing.

Right now, international guidelines recommend a 3:1 compression-to-breath ratio, meaning caregivers give three quick chest compressions followed by one breath. But some researchers are exploring whether there’s a better way.

💡 A New Idea: Continuous Compressions with a Gentle Breath Hold

Instead of stopping compressions for each breath, a newer technique keeps the compressions going while maintaining a gentle, steady breath — called a “sustained inflation.”This method (known as CC + SI) might help push air deeper into the lungs while keeping blood flowing to the heart and brain.

🐷 What the Study Did

To test this, scientists studied 132 newborn piglets, who are often used in neonatal research because their hearts and lungs respond similarly to human babies. The piglets were carefully placed under controlled conditions that mimicked birth asphyxia — a serious lack of oxygen leading to cardiac arrest.

Each piglet was resuscitated using one of two methods:

Traditional 3:1 compression-to-breath ratio
Continuous compressions with sustained inflation (CC + SI)

⏱️ What They Found

Both groups had about the same success rate in restarting the heart — around 70–80%.But piglets who received the CC + SI method recovered faster — their hearts started beating again about 74 seconds sooner on average.

After resuscitation, the short-term survival rate (up to 4 hours) was similar between both methods.

❤️ Why This Matters

In neonatal emergencies, even a few seconds can make a difference. A faster return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) means oxygen and nutrients can reach the brain and other organs sooner, which may protect against long-term damage.

While this study used a piglet model, the results are promising — suggesting that continuous compressions with sustained inflation could help babies in distress get their hearts beating again more quickly. More human studies will be needed before this method becomes part of standard care.