RESUSCITATION APPARATUS FOR

1 2

RESUSCITATION APPARATUS FOR other end. With this handle the lever and the piston can

SIMULTANEOUS CARDIAC MASSAGE AND be reciprocated vertically.

ARTIFICIAL RESPIRATION The lower piston rod slides vertically and in fluidtight manner in the lower closure of the cylinder and is

The present invention concerns an emergency resus- 5 provided at its lower end with a rubber-based plunger

citation device, providing for simultaneous cardiac for application to the chest of the patient,

massage and artificial respiration at the site of the The upper end of the cylinder is provided with an air

emergency. inlet valve and a nozzle linked by a pipe to a rubber air

After an accident, drowning, suffocation, electrocu- reservoir balloon, the assembly thus constituting an air

tion or heart attack, current techniques call for cardiac 10 pump.

massage or artificial respiration by the mouth-to-mouth The lower end of the cylinder is provided with an air

(kiss of life) method or by pneumatic pumping; the two outlet valve and a nozzle linked by a pipe to a bellows

processes are carried out successively or simulta- ma(je of a flexible synthetic material, the assembly

neously, and necessarily for short periods. Two quali- forming a vacuum pump.

fied persons are required for the application of these 15 The ajr reservoir balloon is connected by a pipe to a methods, and to obtain a real efficiency their efforts vaive on the handle of the iever while the bellows is must be synchronized and conjugated. The cardiac connected by another pipe to a vomit suction valve, massage is of course an external one effected by press- By means of T-pieces, the pipes connecting the cylining of the chest wall vigourously and at a rate of 60 to der to the bailoon and the bellows are connected to a 70 times per minute, so as to compress the heart. These 20 three.way valve on the cr0sspiece, allowing the conoperations can last for half an hour or more, observing nectjon tQ atmosphere of one or other of these ele. as closely as possible the correct rhythm. This emer- ... SQ tti the correSp0nding pump out of sergency treatment is thus difficult and exhausting, requir- vjce

ing prolonged effort and occasionally involving blows The va,ve Qn the ,eyer has an out]et for receivi a

which are to be avoided m the case of card.ac massage, 25 ^ ... tQ & face.maski by means of a quick re.

which must be gentle ju. .., c u . lease joint, for pumping air to the patient.

If the patient has suffered the initial stages of asphyxi- The oMet of ^ ... js ... fe a jck ...

ation by gas or liquid, respiratory movements and ■ . »t „ ■ ,» ■ .. , ... „

. 3 % . . n '. r J, . , , joint to a pipe attached to a pistol with a manually conpumping of air into the lungs must be simultaneously . , , . .. c .. , c, , ^ j ,6„ . . „ . J ,ft trolled valve for suction of vomit, by means of the belprovided, at a given rate and for a given period of time. ■3U , . ,. , , . , , . it_ it_ iL ,,,, . 6\ , • j: u lows, the pistol being placed m the mouth of the paWhen resuscitation must be carried out urgently, the tient r <=> r r

mouth-to-mouth method is indicated, but it is difficult .' . . ,,, , , . .. . , . _

, , . , , it . , . In the piping of the tace-mask is situated a safety

and unpleasant, both as regards the time required and , "1 , . . . ,

iU , . .. ... „° r., , _ , valve set for a determined excessive air pressure, and

the synchronisation with the massage of the heart and , . ... . _ ". , .

tU cc . ■ , . rL - « on the pipe circuit for suction of vomit is placed a

the effort required to overcome the repugnance of J;I r

contact with a mouth which may be filled with vomit. vomlt reservoir.

Various devices are known, based on the principle of A m°vable, Panel «f synthetic ^atenal is placed be

a plunger moved mechanically or pneumatically for tween the columns. The head and chest of the patient

carrying out the massage. Some use a pressurised liquid bem8,flxed to this Pane1' moment °f the panel allows acting on the plunger and serving for the direction of 40 the P,unger to be S!tuated P««sely at the base of the

air into the lungs. These devices are mechanically com- sternum of the patient.

plicated, however, and comprise a bulky power source. The handle of the lever 18 adjustable and dynamom

They do not provide for synchronisation of the resusci- etlc> so that the force aPPlled to tne chest bV the

tation processes plunger can be adjusted to the size of the rib cage and

To reduce these disadvantages, the present invention 45 the a8e of the Patient'to avoid possible fracture of the

provides a very light and self-contained device which n",s

allows the resuscitation processes to be safely com- A characteristic of the present invention is to provide

bined by a single person, even if inexperienced. A lever resuscitation apparatus for first aid to victims of heart

linked to a double-acting piston and cylinder arrange- attacks, suffocation, accidents, drowning, electrocu

ment allows cardiac massage, pumping of air into the 50 tion and the like- The apparatus is light, self-contained,

lungs, and suction of vomit to be carried out separately °f certain efficiency, and can be used by a single person

or simultaneously. even if inexperienced in the practice of cardiac mas

The apparatus is formed by a base plate on which are sage and artificial respiration,

mounted two vertical columns, which may be mounted Another characteristic of the invention is to provide

in a hinged manner, and which are sufficiently spaced the apparatus with a base plate supporting two vertical

apart to admit the chest of a prone person. columns which can be stowed in a horizontal position

On the upper portions of these columns slides a and which carry at their upper end portions a crosscross-piece which may be so mounted that it can be piece which can be adjusted relative to the base plate moved out of the way to admit the body of a patient, and clamped: the space between these elements reand which can be clamped on the columns at an adjust- ceives the chest of a patient, supported on a movable able distance from the base plate. panel.

A vertical cylinder is mounted below the centre of Another characteristic of the present invention is to

the crosspiece and in it slides a piston provided with mount below the centre of the crosspiece a vertical cyl

two piston rods. The upper rod slides vertically and in 65 inder in which slides a piston attached to two piston

fluid-tight manner in the upper closure of the cylinder rods, the upper rod sliding in fluid-tight manner in the

and is linked to a second order lever pivoted to the top upper closure of the cylinder and the lower rod sliding

of the crosspiece at one end and having a handle at the in fluid-tight manner in the lower closure of the cylin3,782,371

3 4

der. The free end of the lower rod is provided with a cylinder is provided with an inlet valve 18 and is conrubber plunger for external cardiac massage. nected by a pipe 19 to a rubber balloon 20 forming a

Another characteristic of the invention is to link the compressed air reservoir. The lower end 11 is provided

free end of the upper rod to a second-order lever sup- with an outlet valve 21 and is linked by a pipe 22 to the

ported on the crosspiece, its free end being provided 5 vacuum reservoir 23. Pipes 19 and 22 are connected to

with a handle for reciprocating the piston vertically a three-way valve 24 mounted on the crosspiece 4.

within the cylinder. The outlet pipe 25 from the compressed air reservoir

Another characteristic of the present invention is to 20 is connected to an air pumping valve 26 through a provide the upper end of the cylinder with an air inlet pipe 27 provided with a safety valve 28 and a quickvalve and a nozzle linked by a pipe to a rubber vessel 10 release fastening 29. The fastening 29 receives a pipe forming a compressed air reservoir, and to provide the 30 leading to a face-mask (not shown), lower end of the cylinder with an air outlet valve and The outlet pipe 31 from the vacuum reservoir 23 tera nozzle linked by a pipe to a bellows of a flexible syn- minates in a quick-release fastening for receiving one thetic material forming a vacuum reservoir. end of a vomit suction pipe incorporating a vomit reser

Another characteristic of the invention is to connect 15 voir 33 and whose free end is attached to a pistol-valve

the inlet pipes of the compressed air and vacuum reser- 34 for suction of vomit.

voirs to a three-way valve mounted on the crosspiece A mobile panel 35 is mounted so as to slide on the

and with which either of these elements may be put out base plate 1 and has a support 36 for the head of a pa

of service by connecting it to atmosphere. tient, secured to the support 36 by means of a strap at

Another characteristic of the present invention is to 20 tached to hooks 37 and 38. provide at the outlet of the compressed air reservoir a The columns 2 and 3 carry respective sliding suppipe connected to a manually controlled valve on the ports 39 and 40 on which are clamped buffers 41 and handle of the lever for controlling pumping of air to the 42 for locating the chest of the patient 43. patient by means of a face-mask coupled to the valve If the patient 43 needs combined cardiac massage by means of a pipe and a quick release fastening. 25 and air, the patient is disposed on the panel 35 between

A characteristic of the present invention is to provide the columns 2 and 3, with his head secured to the supin the air pumping circuit, between the control valve port 36 and so that the plunger 13 is above the base of and the face-mask, a safety valve set for an excessive the sternum. The buffers 41 and 42 are pressed against pressure. the sides of the rib cage and the three-way valve 24 is

Another characteristic of the invention is to provide 30 positioned so that both reservoirs 20 and 23 are in seron the vomit suction path, between the quick release vice. The face-mask is applied to the mouth of the pafastening and the pistol, a vomit reservoir. tient and the lever is manoeuvered to give four succes

Another characteristic of the invention is to provide sive massages at a rate of approximately 60 to 70 per

the lever with an adjustable, dynamometric handle for minute. The valve 26 is then opened for three seconds

limiting the pressure of the rubber plunger on the chest 35 after which the manoeuvre is resumed at the same

of the patient, according to the age and physical condi- rhythm. The rubber balloon 20 is filled with com

tion of the patient, so as to avoid if possible excessive pressed air by the co-operation of piston 8 and air inlet

compression of the sternum and rib cage which can, es- valve 18. Raising of the piston and the lever can be as

pecially if prolonged, cause fracture of the ribs. sisted by a spring (not shown). At the same time a par

The apparatus is arranged to carry out rapidly and 40 tial vacuum is created in the reservoir 23 by the co

readily all resuscitation operations, that is to say exter- operation of the piston 8 and the air outlet valve 21.

nal cardiac massage, or pumping of air into the lungs, If the mouth or adjacent internal organs of the pa

or clearing the thoracic passages by removal of vomit tient are obstructed by vomit, the face-mask is lifted

which might impede the attempt to reestablish respira- and the vomit is sucked into the reservoir 33 by means

tion. 45 of the pistol 34.

Other characteristics of the invention will emerge If the patient does not require a supply of air the

from the following description with reference to the ac- three-position valve 24 is set so that the vessel 20 is

companying drawing which shows schematically and by connected to atmosphere. The pistol 34 can be used,

way of example self-contained resuscitation apparatus. the vacuum reservoir 23 being still in service.

In the drawing: All operative combinations of the apparatus can be

FIG. 1 is a front elevation of the apparatus, selected by means of the three-way valve 24.

FIG. 2 is a plan view corresponding to FIG. 1, It will be appreciated that the invention has been de

FIG. 3 is a side view corresponding to FIG. 1. scribed by way of non-limitative example only, and that

The base plate 1 of the apparatus supports columns 55 various details are subject to modifications lying within

2 and 3 which receive on their upper portions a cross- the spirit and scope of the invention. Thus the columns

piece 4 which can be adjusted in height and clamped 2 and 3 might be articulated at their lower ends so that

by means of knurled knobs 5 and 6. A cylinder 7 in the patient could be placed directly in the best position

which slides a piston 8 provided with piston rods 9 and on the mobile panel 35. Alternatively, the columns

10 is mounted on the apparatus. The lower rod 9 slides could be fixed and the crosspiece 4 could have one end

in fluid-tight manner in the lower closure 11 of the cyl- detachable from the column so that it could be swung

inder and the upper rod 10 slides in fluid-tight manner out of the way to allow the patient to be placed on the

in the upper closure 12. The lower rod 9 carries a rub- panel 35, the panel being movable by means of a suit

ber plunger 13 at its free end. The upper rod 10 is cou- able known screw or jack device,

pled to a lever 14 of which one end is fixed to the cross- 65 I claim:

piece 4 by means of a link 15 and the other end is pro- 1. Resuscitation apparatus comprising:

vided with a dynamometric handle 16 adjustable by a generally horizontal support for a patient;

means of a knurled knob 17. The upper end 12 of the at least one vertical upright on said support;