Add like
Add dislike
Add to saved papers

Outcome of a strict policy on emergency department thoracotomies.

OBJECTIVE: To audit emergency department thoracotomies from January 1981 to May 1993.

DESIGN: Retrospective analysis of case records.

SETTING: A large (3000-bed) tertiary care academic hospital; the department of general surgery (including trauma) consists of 360 beds.

PATIENTS: All patients who underwent a thoracotomy in the emergency department during the above period.

INTERVENTION: An emergency department thoracotomy was performed on trauma patients with recordable vital signs and rapid deterioration and on patients with uncontrollable bleeding or profound hypotension not responsive to resuscitation. The procedure was performed either on the resuscitation trolley in the emergency department or in the adjacent operating room.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Survival and subsequent neurological function after thoracotomy.

RESULTS: There were 312 stab injuries, 358 gunshot injuries, and 176 blunt injuries. Survival occurred in 26 stab-wound cases (8.3%), in 16 gunshot cases (4.4%), and in one blunt injury case (0.6%). There was one patient with neurological impairment in each of the three injury groups. Those with penetrating chest injuries had the best survival rate (20%), and the survival rate for penetrating abdominal trauma was 6.8%.

CONCLUSIONS: Emergency department thoracotomies have a definite role in the management of trauma patients. The best results are obtained in patients with penetrating chest injuries.

Full text links

We have located links that may give you full text access.
Can't access the paper?
Try logging in through your university/institutional subscription. For a smoother one-click institutional access experience, please use our mobile app.

For the best experience, use the Read mobile app

Mobile app image

Get seemless 1-tap access through your institution/university

For the best experience, use the Read mobile app

All material on this website is protected by copyright, Copyright © 1994-2024 by WebMD LLC.
This website also contains material copyrighted by 3rd parties.

By using this service, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy.

Your Privacy Choices Toggle icon

You can now claim free CME credits for this literature searchClaim now

Get seemless 1-tap access through your institution/university

For the best experience, use the Read mobile app