title: Emergency thoracotomy.
abstract: Eighty-nine consecutive trauma patients, who were treated at one institution and received emergency thoracotomy, were studied. Although 76 (85%) of the patients had no vital signs at hospital arrival, 15 (17%) patients survived the emergency thoracotomy to progress to other hospital treatments. Ten patients were ultimately discharged, nine of whom have normal functions. Maintaining a broad set of indications for emergency thoracotomy may increase survival amongst trauma patients for whom the procedure is indicated.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004630:Emergencies; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D006801:Humans; D008499:Medical Records; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D013903:Thoracic Surgery; D014193:Trauma Centers; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000628:therapy*