Is ED Thoracotomy Worthwhile for Blunt Trauma Patients?

About 1% survive overall, but survival approaches 0% if no vital signs are present.

Emergency department (ED) thoracotomy is considered a viable option after penetrating trauma, with good outcomes in more than 5% of patients. To determine its effect on survival after blunt trauma, investigators conducted a literature review. Twenty-seven articles, all case series, were included in the analysis.

Of 1369 patients, 21 (1.5%) survived with a good neurologic outcome. All 21 patients who survived had vital signs in the ED or prehospital setting.

Reviewing Author

Daniel J. Pallin, MD, MPH

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardPortola Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Speaker’s BureauPeerView Institute for Medical Education

Grant/Research SupportAgency for Healthcare Research and Quality; CDC; NIH–National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences; NIH–National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID); NIH–NIAID–Antibacterial Resistance Leadership Group; Merck; Pfizer; Boehringer-Ingelheim; Shire; Portola Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; Novartis; bioMérieux; Siemens; Rapid Pathogen Screening; Magnolia; Stago; Innovative Biosensors; Molecular Detection, Inc.; Dyax Corp.; Trius Pharmaceuticals

Daniel J. Pallin, MD, MPH

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardPortola Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Speaker’s BureauPeerView Institute for Medical Education

Is ED Thoracotomy Worthwhile for Blunt Trauma Patients?

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Reviewing Author