CPR in Microgravity

Miners in Space x NASA Reduced Gravity Flight Opportunities Program

Problem Statement

Conventional C.P.R. methods are slow and not very effective in a microgravity environment. Conventional procedures dictate that both the patient and the first aid giver must be be strapped down, which can take many precious minutes.

A new, faster procedure is required as humans experience longer periods of time in space.

Solution

We developed a new procedure that utilizes the concept of active compression-decompression C.P.R. Normal C.P.R. only compresses (pushes) the chest inward and then the chest naturally expands back out. However, by using a section cup device a decompression force can also be applied and very likely increase the effectiveness of the C.P.R. by drawing more blood into the heart.

This suction cup device also allows the first aid giver to locate themselves behind the victim, which decreases the time required from a cardiac event to the start of C.P.R.

Together my colleagues and I developed this technique and created an instrumented C.P.R. dummy to collect data that verifies its effectiveness.