Effect of dental chair stabilization method on manual chest compressions

Background: Due to the structural design of dental chairs, they are easily swayed by strong external forces such as manual chest compressions (MCC). When a patient suffers cardiopulmonary arrest during dental treatment, MCC on a dental chair is inefficient. However, under the special circumstances of the dental office, MCC on the dental chair should be preferred if necessary. However, they should be initiated in the special circumstances of dental clinics when necessary. We previously demonstrated the usefulness of a support stool for stabilizing a dental chair during MCC. In this study, we evaluated how this method of using a stool to support a dental chair affects the efficiency of MCC for patients experiencing cardiac arrest while seated in a dental chair. Methods: Thirty-two Basic Life Support (BLS)-certified dentists participated in the study. The study was conducted as a randomized crossover trial using Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training manikin seated on a dental chair. A stool was placed under the reclined back of the dental chair to stabilize it. MCC was performed for 5 minutes with or without the support stool. We measured eight parameters and fatigue levels in the MCC. Results: The findings revealed that the use of a support stool increased the percentage of correct MCC. The “mean MCC depth” was deeper and the fatigue level was reduced. MCC performed with a stool enhanced the accuracy and depth of compressions while decreasing rescuer fatigue. Without the stool, compressions tended to be shallower, less accurate and more physically taxing. Conclusions: The use of a support stool significantly improved the quality of MCC performed on a dental chair and reduced rescuer fatigue. When CPR is needed for a patient experiencing cardiac arrest during dental treatment, incorporating a support stool can facilitate effective MCC in the dental setting.

Dental chair; Manual chest compression (MCC); Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR); Stool; Fatigue; Manikin

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