(1) If the stomach becomes distended, reposition the casualty's airway.
Watch for the rise and fall of the casualty's chest, and breathe only hard enough to
cause the chest to fully rise. Continue administering rescue breathing or CPR. Do not
push on the casualty's abdomen in an attempt to reduce the distention since the
pressure could cause the casualty to vomit.
(2) Gastric distention can be corrected by adjusting the airway and adjusting
the force of the ventilations. More advanced procedures may be appropriate, such as
the use of a nasogastric tube to decompress the abdomen. If this is not available, then
proper ventilation and opening of the airway are the primary methods to reduce further
distention.
b. Vomiting (Regurgitation). If the casualty vomits, roll the casualty onto his
side so that his front is toward you and administer a finger sweep to wipe out his mouth.
Then return him to the supine (flat on his back) position. If possible, suction the patient
to clear the airway. Then continue administering CPR or rescue breathing.
c. Dentures. Dentures support the rescuer's lips and make sealing the
casualty's mouth easier. Do not remove dentures from the casualty's mouth unless they
are loose or broken. If it is necessary to remove dentures, put them in the casualty's
pocket so that they will accompany the casualty when he is evacuated. If dentures are
blocking the casualty's airway, perform a finger sweep to remove them (paragraph 5-
6c).
d. Fractures. Fractures of the ribs or sternum may occur even if CPR is
performed properly. Care should be taken to ensure proper hand placement and
technique in order to reduce the danger of fractures. Fractures of the ribs or sternum
(including the xiphoid process) can puncture or lacerate a lung, liver, aorta, stomach, or
heart. Cardiac tamponade (blood in the pericardial sac) is caused by a lacerated
pericardium. If injuries occur, continue performing CPR.
Success or failure may be influenced by the time that elapsed before CPR was started,
injuries, drugs, poisons, and/or preexisting conditions such as heart disease, kidney
failure, and stroke. You should not blame yourself or others for failure to save the
casualty if a sincere effort was made to revive the casualty.
MD0532
4-14