Mechanical chest compression
Topic Status Complete
Mechanical chest compression for use by the ambulance service to treat adults with out-of-hospital non-traumatic cardiac arrest.
Outcome of the appraisal
HTW advises that routine adoption of mechanical chest compression devices across the ambulance service is not currently supported by available evidence.
Why was this topic appraised?
This topic was proposed by the Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust to support evidence-informed decision making over whether to routinely adopt mechanical chest compression devices across the ambulance service in Wales.
This guidance was considered for reassessment in December 2021. Following stakeholder consultation and an updated literature search, our Assessment Group concluded that the current evidence is unlikely to change existing recommendations and so not to progress with reassessment at this time.
Plain language summary
HTW assessed mechanical chest compression devices to help decide whether they should be made available to ambulance services in NHS Wales.
Survival rates are low for people who have a cardiac arrest out of hospital and need to be resuscitated. Paramedics try to keep the heart pumping, usually by repeatedly pressing down on their chest. Mechanical chest compression devices are designed to perform this action whilst the patient is being transferred to hospital.
It was concluded that the mechanical devices didn’t improve survival rates and aren’t value for money. These devices might be useful for patients who can’t be quickly transported to hospital, but further data is needed to confirm this.
HTW Guidance doesn’t support routine use of the devices by the ambulance service.
Evidence Appraisal Review
EAR001 02.2018
Guidance
GUI001 04.2018
This guidance was considered for reassessment in December 2021. Following stakeholder consultation and an updated literature search, our Assessment Group concluded that the current evidence is unlikely to change existing recommendations and so not to progress with reassessment at this time.
