Transmission of intrathoracic pressure to the intracranial space during cardiopulmonary resuscitation in dogs.

Elevation of intrathoracic pressure during cardiopulmonary resuscitation generates carotid pressure and flow, but also increases intracranial pressure. This increase in intracranial pressure may limit cerebral blood flow. Therefore, we performed studies designed to quantify the extent of this transmission and to identify the mechanism of transmission of intrathoracic pressure to the intracranial space during cardiopulmonary resuscitation in dogs. Intracranial pressure increased during the chest compression phase of all modes of cardiopulmonary resuscitation tested. During simultaneous compression-ventilation cardiopulmonary resuscitation, change in intracranial pressure (mm Hg) = 0.33 change in intrathoracic pressure (mm Hg) + 2.02 (r = 0.86) and was not significantly different from the relationship observed during conventional cardiopulmonary resuscitation. The magnitude of transmission of intrathoracic pressure to the intracranial space was increased by binding the abdomen and by raising the baseline in...