ABDOMINAL THRUST MANEUVER

Course overview

THE ABDOMINAL THRUST MANEUVER, ALSO KNOWN AS THE HEIMLICH MANEUVER, IS USED TO TREAT UPPER AIRWAY OBSTRUCTIONS CAUSED BY FOREIGN BODIES. THIS MANEUVER IS COMMONLY TAUGHT DURING BASIC LIFE SUPPORT AND ADVANCED CARDIAC LIFE SUPPORT CLASSES BUT IS NOT GIVEN AS MUCH ATTENTION AS CHEST COMPRESSIONS. ALTHOUGH THIS MANEUVER CAN SAVE LIVES AND IS GENERALLY SAFE TO PERFORM, SERIOUS INTRA-ABDOMINAL HARM CAN ENSUE IF THIS MANEUVER IS NOT PERFORMED CORRECTLY. TO PREVENT INTRA-ABDOMINAL DAMAGE, PRACTITIONERS AT ALL LEVELS SHOULD BE FAMILIAR WITH HOW TO PERFORM THIS TECHNIQUE SAFELY. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE INDICATIONS AND CONTRAINDICATIONS OF THIS PROCEDURE AND DESCRIBES HOW TO PERFORM IT SAFELY. THIS ACTIVITY HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAMWORK IN IMPROVING PATIENT OUTCOMES.