Resuscitative thoracotomy

Gerd Daniel Pust; Nicholas Namias

doi:10.1016/j.ijsu.2016.04.006

Resuscitative thoracotomy

Int J Surg. 2016 Sep;33(Pt B):202-208. doi: 10.1016/j.ijsu.2016.04.006. Epub 2016 Apr 14.

Authors

Gerd Daniel Pust¹, Nicholas Namias²

Affiliations

¹ Division of Trauma and Surgical Critical Care, The DeWitt Daughtry Family Department of Surgery, Ryder Trauma Center / Jackson Memorial Hospital, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, 1800 N.W. 10th Avenue, T-215, Miami, FL 33136, USA. Electronic address: gpust@med.miami.edu.
² Division of Trauma and Surgical Critical Care, The DeWitt Daughtry Family Department of Surgery, Ryder Trauma Center / Jackson Memorial Hospital, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, 1800 N.W. 10th Avenue, T-215, Miami, FL 33136, USA.

PMID: 27102328
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijsu.2016.04.006

Abstract

Resuscitative thoracotomy is often performed on trauma patients with thoracoabdominal penetrating or blunt injuries arriving in cardiac arrest. The goal of this procedure is to immediately restore cardiac output and to control major hemorrhage within the thorax and abdominal cavity. Only surgeons with experience in the management of cardiac and thoracic injuries should perform this procedure.

Keywords: Aortic cross clamping; Blunt trauma; Cardiac repair; Emergency room thoracotomy; Penetrating trauma; Resuscitation; Resuscitative thoracotomy; Traumatic cardiac arrest.

Publication types

Review