Transfer of male patients from the dental chair to the floor by female staff for cardiopulmonary resuscitation: a randomized study

Background: Despite the critical importance of emergency response, there are currently no dedicated resuscitation guidelines for managing cardiac arrest in dentistry. Existing international cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) protocols, such as those from the American Heart Association (AHA) and the European Resuscitation Council (ERC), are designed for general life-threatening situations and may not be directly applicable in dental clinics. In cases of cardiac arrest in dental patients, it is often recommended to move the patient to the floor to facilitate effective chest compressions. However, most dental clinics in Japan have a limited staff, often predominantly female, with unique challenges in transferring patients, especially overweight male patients. These challenges include confined space, limited personnel, obstructive equipment, and the physical size of the patient. This study examined several factors that affect female staff members’ ability to transfer male patients from a dental chair to the floor. Methods: A randomized crossover study was conducted involving four male and nine female rescuers using two types of dental chairs (with and without side tables). Variables such as the number of female rescuers, transfer time, changes in vital signs, and perceived fatigue were assessed. Results: Depending on patient size and chair type, a minimum of five female staff members and approximately 20 seconds were needed for a safe transfer. Conclusions: If the dental clinic does not have adequate staff and sufficient floor space, transferring the patient from the dental chair to the floor for CPR may not be a feasible or an effective procedure. Clinical Trial Registration: The study was registered retrospectively with UMIN Individual Case Data Sharing System (https://www.umin.ac.jp/) as UMIN000060182.