Tag: Clamshell Thoracotomy

Resuscitative Thoracotomy: What Really is the Quickest Way to a Person’s Heart?

by Zaf Qasim posted October 15, 2020 No Comments

Background: A resuscitative thoracotomy is a time-critical high acuity, low occurrence (HALO) procedure – as an emergency physician you need to know how to do it, but depending on your practice environment, it may be a once-in-a-career maneuver. All the ...

Trauma

If You’re Going to do the Thoracotomy…do a Clamshell

by Zaf Qasim posted April 18, 2019 No Comments

Every now and again someone raises the issue on social media about resuscitative thoracotomy. What are the indications (we have the EAST guidelines for that), what are the risks (highlighted in this important recent paper), and of course, whether EM ...

Trauma