Chest stabbing / penetrating injury
Indications for thoracotomy in traumatic cardiac arrest
Blunt trauma
- Patient arrives at ED with pulse, BP & and spontaneous resps and then witnessed cardiac arrest
Penetrating cardiac trauma
- Witnessed cardiac arrest in ED or
- Patient arrives in ED after <5 minutes of out-of-hospital CPR and with positive secondary signs of life (e.g., pupillary reflexes, spontaneous movement, organized ECG activity)
Penetrating thoracic (non cardiac) trauma
- Witnessed cardiac arrest in ED or
- <15 minutes of out-of-hospital CPR and with positive secondary signs of life (e.g., pupillary reflexes, spontaneous movement, organized ECG activity)
Exsanguinating abdominal vascular trauma
- Witnessed cardiac arrest in ED or
- Arrives with positive secondary signs of life (e.g., pupillary reflexes, spontaneous movement, organized ECG activity) plus
- Resources available for definitive repair of abdominal-vascular injuries
American Heart Association Dec 2005 Cardiac Arrest Guidelines including cardiac arrest in trauma
Content by Dr Íomhar O' Sullivan 05/03/01. Reviewed by Dr ÍOS 10/07/2004, 03/10/2006. Next review 03/10/2007
