FEMORAL VENOUS PULSATIONS DURING OPEN-CHEST CARDIAC MASSAGE

We describe the cases of two children with easily palpated femoral pul ses during open-chest cardiac massage after aortic occlusion. These pu lsations must have arisen from the femoral veins, implying that during CPR in children the usual anatomic landmarks for femoral venous acces s may be unreliable, and femoral pulsations do not necessarily reflect arterial flow. Femoral pulses may signify to-and-fro inferior vena ca val flow that compromises venous return, adversely affecting cardiac o utput and the effectiveness of medication administration to the lower extremity.