Cadaver models for cardiac arrest: A systematic review and perspectives

Aim: To provide an overview of cadaver models for cardiac arrest and to identify the most appropriate cadaver model to improve cardiopulmonary resuscitation through a systematic review.

Methods: The search strategy included PubMed, Embase, Current contents, Pascal, OpenSIGLE and reference tracking. The search concepts included "heart arrest", "cardiopulmonary resuscitation" and "cadavers". All studies, published until February 2019, in English or French, on research or simulation in the field of cardiac arrest and using cadaver models were eligible for inclusion.

Results: Overall, 29 articles out of the 244 articles located were selected. The characteristics of the studies and the cadaver models were heterogenous. Indeed, 31% of the studies lacked a proper description of the model used and its specificities. Fresh cadavers were used in 55% of the studies and chest compressions were performed in 90%. This model was appreciated for its realism in terms of mechanical properties and tissue conservation. Thiel-embalmed cadavers also showed promising results concerning lung and chest compliance. The lack of circulation stood out as the strongest limitation of all types of human cadaver models.

Conclusion: Four types of cadaver models are used in cardiac arrest research. The great heterogeneity of these models coupled with unequal quality in reporting makes comparisons between studies difficult. There is a need for uniform reporting and standardisation of human cadaver models in cardiac arrest research.