Challenging the dogma of traumatic cardiac arrest management: a military perspective.
Attempts to resuscitate patients in traumatic cardiac arrest (TCA) have, in the past, been viewed as futile. However, reported outcomes from TCA in the past five years, particularly from military series, are improving. The pathophysiology of TCA is different to medical causes of cardiac arrest, and therefore, treatment priorities may also need to be different. This article reviews recent literature describing the pathophysiology of TCA and describes how the military has challenged the assumption that outcome is universally poor in these patients.
Academic Department of Military Emergency Medicine, Royal Centre for Defence Medicine (Research & Academia), Birmingham, UK Emergency Department, Derriford Hospital, Plymouth, UK.
J E
JE
Smith
Academic Department of Military Emergency Medicine, Royal Centre for Defence Medicine (Research & Academia), Birmingham, UK Emergency Department, James Cook University Hospital, Middlesbrough, UK.
S
S
Le Clerc
Academic Department of Military Emergency Medicine, Royal Centre for Defence Medicine (Research & Academia), Birmingham, UK Emergency Department, James Cook University Hospital, Middlesbrough, UK.
P A F
PA
Hunt
D006801:Humans; D008887:Military Medicine; D009104:Multiple Trauma / Q000150:complications* / Q000628:therapy; D058687:Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D012151:Resuscitation / Q000379:methods*
Trauma; cardiac arrest; clinical management; military; resuscitation