Resusci Anne

Resusci Anne in a storage case
Rehearsing the use of an automated external defibrillator on a Resusci Anne

Resusci Anne, also known as Rescue Anne, Resusci Annie, CPR Annie, Resuscitation Annie, Little Annie, or CPR Doll is a model of medical simulator used for teaching both emergency workers and members of the general public. Resusci Anne was developed by Norwegian toy maker Åsmund S. Lærdal, Austrian-Czech physician Peter Safar, and American physician James Elam,[1][2][3] and is produced by the company Laerdal Medical.

The distinctive face of Resusci Anne was based on L'Inconnue de la Seine (English: The unknown woman of Seine), the death mask of an unidentified young woman reputedly drowned in the River Seine around the late 1880s.[2][4] Toymaker Åsmund S. Lærdal chose to use a woman's face on the mannequin as he thought male trainees might be reluctant to kiss a man's face.[5] The face was sculpted by the Norwegian-Danish sculptor Emma Matthiasen [da; nn; no].[6]

The first version of Resusci-Annie was presented by Lærdal at the First International Symposium on Resuscitation at Stavanger, Norway, in 1960. Peter Safar and James Elam were attending the conference. Together they would join Lærdal in refining the design. Later versions included a simulated carotid pulse, eye-pupils that could dilate and constrict, and a system for recording the trainee's resuscitation performance on a paper tape.[5]

  1. ^ "Elam, James: Science Heroes". Retrieved 28 December 2014.
  2. ^ a b Jeremy Grange (16 October 2013). "Resusci Anne and L'Inconnue: The Mona Lisa of the Seine". BBC News. Retrieved 16 October 2013.
  3. ^ Mark Peck. "Annie...Annie.. Are You OK? Resusci Anne". The Virtual EMS Museum. Archived from the original on 2014-12-27. Retrieved 30 March 2018.
  4. ^ "Laerdal Medical company website: The Girl from the River Seine". Laerdal Medical. Retrieved 2023-10-20.
  5. ^ a b "The Evolution of Resusci-Annie". EMS Museum. Retrieved 2022-11-30.
  6. ^ "The History of Resusci Annie – LifeSaver Training". www.lifesavertraining.co.uk. Retrieved 2022-11-30.