Keogh S P, Wilson A W
Helicopter Emergency Medical Service, Royal London Hospital, UK.
Injury. 1996 Sep;27(7):525-7. doi: 10.1016/0020-1383(96)00023-x.
A 34-year-old man was stabbed in the heart with the loss of all signs of life at the site of the incident. A resuscitative thoracotomy was performed at the roadside rather than transport a lifeless patient to hospital. Thoracotomy revealed asystole, pericardial tamponade and a right ventricular stab wound. Following further roadside resuscitation and subsequent air transport, and 30 min after loss of signs of life the patient was defibrillated in hospital and regained sinus rhythm. He recovered and was discharged at 25 days with normal neurology and mentation. Pre-hospital thoracotomy on a patient who had lost signs of life following a penetrating chest wound is an alternative to a "scoop and run' policy.
