A successful emergency thoracotomy performed in the field.
An emergency thoracotomy (ET) is a surgical procedure rarely practiced outside a hospital. However, it can be the only way to resuscitate a patient who has suffered cardiac arrest due to penetrating chest trauma. SAMUR-Protección Civil is a two-tier Emergency Medical Service of Madrid, with Advance Life Support teams led by Emergency Physicians, Emergency Nurses and Paramedics. Over the last 3 years, medical teams from SAMUR have performed ET in six cases, after a short period of cardiac arrest, restoring cardiac output in two cases, and one patient with a normal neurological outcome. The following SAMUR protocol describes these emergency situations and details the case of the patient who was treated and discharged from hospital without any repercussions.
Corral
Ervigio
E
Emergency and Medical Rescue Service of Madrid (SAMUR-PROTECCION CIVIL), Avd. Ronda de las Provincias s/n, 28011 Madrid, Spain. corralte@munimadrid.es
Silva
Jacobo
J
Suárez
Rosa M
RM
Nuñez
José
J
Cuesta
Ceferina
C
D000328:Adult; D002305:Cardiac Tamponade / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D004632:Emergency Medical Services / Q000379:methods*; D006323:Heart Arrest / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D006336:Heart Massage / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013898:Thoracic Injuries / Q000150:complications; D013908:Thoracotomy / Q000941:ethics / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013997:Time Factors; D014951:Wounds, Stab / Q000150:complications