[External heart compression with the heel (author's transl)].

External heart compression during cardiopulmonary resuscitation is an usual method. As an alternative to the arm-hand method the leg-heel method is proposed. Both methods were tested with a group of laymen and paramedical personnel at the Recording Resusci-Anne manequin. Criteria of evaluation were frequency, point, intensity and direction of heart pressure. 64 per cent of all test persons found the method of heel-compression to be of no value of the basis of personal experience. They showed early fatigue and complained of leg pain. The incidence of failure for both methods was comparable. Frequency and intensity of pressure showed no differences. The most important disadvantage appeared to be the lack of discharge of the sternum at the end of the phase of compression. Experience has shown that difficulties may arise from teaching several methods. Therefore the teaching of laymen should be restricted to one method only, usable universally. The restrictions of the leg-heel method are listed.