title: Emergency department thoracotomy.
abstract: The best candidates for a community hospital emergency room thoracotomy are those victims who have decompensated following small-caliber gunshot wounds or stab wounds to the chest or abdomen who initially had signs of life in transport to the hospital or in the Emergency Department. Some of these patients can be successfully resuscitated by an emergency physician using the techniques described in this article.
authors.affiliation: Charles R. Drew/University of Medicine and Science, UCLA School of Medicine.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wasserberger
authors.forename: G J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Ordog
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dang
authors.forename: T L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Schlater
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000635:transmission*; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000293:injuries*; D004630:Emergencies; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D006335:Heart Injuries / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000635:transmission*; D012151:Resuscitation / Q000379:methods*; D012307:Risk Factors; D013536:Suture Techniques; D013907:Thoracostomy / Q000379:methods; D013908:Thoracotomy / Q000379:methods*