title: Successful transdiaphragmatic cardiac resuscitation through midline abdominal incision in patient with flail chest.
abstract: This case report describes a transdiaphragmatic approach through an already present vertical midline abdominal incision for performing internal cardiac compressions in a 30-year-old male road accident victim. The patient had a flail chest with haemopneumothorax and haemoperitoneum. Exploratory laparotomy followed by splenectomy was performed under general anaesthesia but the patient developed a witnessed cardiac arrest in postoperative period. Successful resuscitation using internal cardiac compression by a transdiaphragmatic approach through the midline abdominal incision that was not extended proximally is described.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesiology and Critical Care, University College of Medical Sciences and Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital, Delhi 110095, India.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Suresh Kumar
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Saith
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Chawla
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kumar Sethi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bhattacharya
mesh_terms: D000063:Accidents, Traffic; D000328:Adult; D016887:Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation / Q000379:methods*; D003964:Diaphragm; D005409:Flail Chest / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D006323:Heart Arrest / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D006465:Hemoperitoneum / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery; D006468:Hemopneumothorax / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007813:Laparotomy; D008297:Male; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000628:therapy*