This document discusses various methods of artificial respiration used to assist or stimulate breathing when it has stopped. It defines artificial respiration as forcing air into the lungs of someone who has stopped breathing in order to keep them alive and help them start breathing again. It then describes several specific methods: Schafer's method involves pressing on the chest from behind while the patient lies prone; Holger-Nielson's method similarly compresses the chest from behind while also lifting the arms; Sylvester's method lifts the arms over the head while compressing the chest. Instrumental and mechanical methods are also outlined, including tank respirators and resuscitators. Special considerations for artificial respiration of newborn babies are mentioned at the end.

1. Artificial Respiration
And Methods
BYRUPALIBHOJE
1

2. DEFINITION
 Artificial respiration is the forcing of air into the
lungs of someone who has stopped breathing,
usually by blowing through their mouth or nose, in
order to keep them alive and to help them to start
breathing again.
 OR
 Artificial ventilation, (also called artificial
respiration) is means of assisting or
stimulating respiration, a metabolic process
referring to the overall exchange of gases in the
body by pulmonary ventilation, external
respiration, and internal respiration.

3. Artificial Respiration –
Indications
3
• No Respiration
• ButHeart continuesto
beat
• Drowning
• Suffocation in smoke
• Paralysis of Respiratory
muscles

4. 4
• If Drowning – Select methods which are
done in proneposition
• METHODS OF ARTIFICIAL
RESPIRATION
• Schafer’s method ( Prone pressure
method)
• Holger Neilson’s method ( Arm
lift back pressure method)
• Sylvester’s method ( Arm lift
chestpressure method )

5. Schafer’s Method
 The subject is laid in prone position and a small
pillow is placed underneath the chest and
epigastrium.
 The head is turned to one side. The operator
kneels down by the side of the subject facing
towards his head.
 Two hands are placed on the two sides of the
lower part of the chest and then the operator
slowly puts his body weight leaning forwards
and pressing upon the loins of the subject.
 Intra-abdominal pressure rises, the diaphragm
is pushed up and air is forced out of the lungs.

6.  After this the operator releases the pressure and
comes back to his original erect position.
 The abdominal pressure falls, diaphragm
descends and air is drawn in. These movements
are repeated about twelve times a minute
(roughly the normal rate of respiration).
 By this means it is possible to have a total
pulmonary ventilation of 6,500 ml per minute,
and this amount is sufficient for complete
aeration of blood.
 The advantage of this method is that the patient
being in the prone position, mucus or saliva
comes out of the mouth and cannot obstruct his
airways.

8. Holger-Nielson Method
 The subject is placed in the prone position with
the arms abducted at the shoulders and elbows
remaining flexed. The face is turned to one side
and rests on the hands. The mouth is cleaned
after wiping out mucus, fluid, etc., from it. The
operator kneels down in front of the subject facing
towards the head. Two hands are placed on the
two sides of the back of the chest with the thumbs
and fingers spread apart.
 Then the operator puts his body weight leaning
forwards upon the subject’s back. This
compresses the chest and helps in expiration.
The subject’s arms forwards by holding them
above the elbows. This helps in natural
inspiration. This process is repeated about 10-12

10. Sylvester’s method ( Arm lift chest
pressure method )
 The subject is placed in supine position. The operator
stands or kneels at the head end and holds the two
arms of the subject. The operator then raises the
subject’s hands above his head and then folds the
hands back upon the chest, compressing the chest
wall at the same time.
 Such movements alternately increase and decrease
the thoracic cavity, thus drawing in and pushing out
air from the lungs.
 This method is most commonly used in the operation
theatre or in other accidents.
 The tongue should be kept pulled out and the mucus
from the mouth cavity should be wiped out from time

12. Mouth-to-Mouth Method
 The subject is laid in the supine position
with extended head. The operator sits by
the side of the subject’s head.
 The operator hold the lower jaw of the
subject by one thumb and index-finger and
clamps the nostrils with the other thumb
and index-finer.
 The operator then keeps his mouth over
the subject’s mouth and exhales forcibly
which causes inflation of the lungs and
thorax. The operator then takes off his

14. Instrumental Method:
 Instead of a human operator, machineries are used.
The advantage is that it can be carried on for good
length of time, whereas the human operator is likely
to be fatigued.
 The machines generally work on two principles:
 i. Negative-pressure breathing by alternately
compressing and relaxing the chest wall and
 ii. Positive-pressure breathing by introducing air or
oxygen directly into the lungs-intermittently or
continuously.

15. Drinker’s Method
 In this method the patient is placed in an airtight
chamber, the head remaining outside.
 By mechanically driven pumps, the pressure in the
chamber is alternately lowered and raised.
 When the pressure is lowered the chest swells up
and air is drawn into the lungs. When the pressure is
raised chest becomes compressed and air is pushed
out.
 In this way, artificial ventilation may be continued for
any length of time. These methods are very useful in
cases where prolonged artificial respiration is
necessary, such as in morphine poisoning, in
paralysis of the respiratory muscles, as in
poliomyelitis, pneumothorax etc. The so-called iron

17. Bragg Paul’s Method:
 A rubber bag is wrapped round the chest wall of
the subject. By suitable pumps, pressure in the
bag is alternately raised and lowered thus
compressing and relaxing the chest wall
alternately. In this way respiration is carried out.

18. Tank respirator
 In tank respirator the patient’s body is placed inside
the tank and his head is protruded through a flexible
but airtight collar. Opposite to the patient’s head
there is a motor-driven leather diaphragm that
moves back and forth with sufficient excursion to
raise and lower the pressure within the tank.
 Inward movement of leather diaphragm gets to
produce positive pressure around the body and
causes expiration; and outward movement of leather
diaphragm produces negative pressure and causes
inspiration.
 In this condition, positive pressure that causes
expiration rises to 0 to + 5 cm water and the

20. Resuscitator
 This apparatus forces air through the
mask that fits over the patient’s face into
the lungs of the patient during the
positive pressure cycle and then either
allows air to flow out the lungs during
the remainder of the cycle or pull the air
out by negative pressure.
 Resuscitator commonly has safety valve
which prevents the positive pressure
from rising normally about +14 mm Hg
the negative pressure from falling below

21. .
In the New-Born Baby:
 Artificial respiration is necessary for those newly
born babies, whose respiration is delayed.
 The methods and principles followed in such
cases are as follows:
 i. Holding the baby upside down (to allow more
blood to go to the brain) and patting on the back
(reflex stimulation).
 ii. Alternately putting the child in warm and cold
water (reflex stimulation).
 In the maternity hospitals various other methods
are employed working on these principles.