Flipping the Script: A Descriptive Exploration of the Use of Prone CPR in the Prone Surgical Patient (.5 Class A CE)

This session aims to explore the historical use of prone CPR, its physiological basis, and differences in outcomes versus traditional supine CPR. The prone patient position in the operating room is becoming more common and is used to facilitate surgical access for a variety of procedures. Managing intraoperative cardiac arrest of a patient while in the prone position can prove challenging and often requires repositioning the patient supine. Repositioning a critically ill patient from the prone to supine position can be time consuming and can delay lifesaving cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for as long as 3-5 minutes and make take up to 5-6 providers. The use of prone CPR, or reverse CPR, has been identified as a possible alternative to repositioning supine. Although there is not a robust empiric foundation, multiple studies have shown increased hemodynamic parameters with the use of prone CPR over supine CPR such as an increased mean arterial pressure. This session will delve into the origins of prone CPR, its physiological implications compared to supine CPR, and prone CPR techniques compared to traditional supine CPR for cardiac arrest of the prone surgical patient.