Exoskeletons as potential devices to support and enhance rescuers’ chest compression performance during out-of-hospital cardiac arrest

Abstract

Exoskeletons are wearable structures that support and assist movement, or augment the capabilities of the human body. These functionalities could theoretically assist bystanders or rescuers performing manual chest compressions during out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, as this emergency procedure is prone to physical exhaustion. Compressions are an intense muscular effort involving a dynamic muscular pattern with conflicting postural constraints. Rescuer fatigue sets in rapidly, leading to postural instability and a lack of mechanical power delivered by the arms to the patient’s torso, which affects hemodynamic efficiency.

Physical augmentation and postural stabilization are two functions that could be provided by an exoskeleton during cardiopulmonary resuscitation. This device would combine the advantages of manual and mechanical chest compressions, bypassing anthropometric parameters such as the rescuer’s aerobic capacity and muscle mass to maintain efficient chest compressions, and avoiding the negative issues associated with over-assistance through a servomotor function. This concept paper examines the specifications of an ideal theoretical device in this context, noting the potential technical difficulties and barriers to implementation.