Paletas pediátricas y de adultos para desfibrilación: Una comparación

Abstract

ransthoracic impedance influences the intensity of the discharge used for the external defibrillation of a patient. In this paper, the influence of gel and paddles used for the defibrillation or cardioversion of children is analyzed. Results show that average measured values of transthoracic impedance in children, using pediatric paddles, are twice as high as those measured when using adult paddles, for both paddles placement positions AA {box drawings light horizontal} Anterior Apical{box drawings light horizontal} [126 Ω vs 66 Ω; p < 0,001] and AP {box drawings light horizontal}Anterior Posterior{box drawings light horizontal} [120 Ω vs 60 Ω; p < 0,001], while the application of conductive gel to each paddle also influences the measured value by a factor of two. The influence of the gel on the measured impedance value increases with the electrode area, this fact is well expressed by the percent of change registered by the mean of the sample [33,1% and 9,9%] using gel or not, while using adult electrodes; referred to [20,7% and 5,1%] using gel or not for the case of pediatric paddles. It is concluded that it is possible to decrease the impedance in pediatric patients significantly, by the proper use of adults paddle combined with gel (in any of the two positions). This reduction [248±100Ω vs 66±18 Ω; p<0.018] could increase almost four times the current applied to the thorax, for anyone of the two most common positions. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2007.