EMERGENCY ROOM THORACOTOMY

Course overview

AN EMERGENCY ROOM THORACOTOMY IS PERFORMED IN SELECTED CASES OF DIRECT THORACIC INJURY CONCURRENTLY WITH ACLS/ATLS RESUSCITATION. SURVIVAL RATES ARE LOW; HOWEVER, THIS IS BECAUSE IT IS A LIFE-SAVING MEASURE AIMED AT TEMPORIZING A CRITICAL PATIENT UNTIL A DEFINITIVE REPAIR CAN BE ACHIEVED IN THE OPERATING ROOM. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE EVALUATION AND MANAGEMENT OF PATIENTS WHO UNDERGO EMERGENCY ROOM THORACOTOMY AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN EVALUATING AND IMPROVING THE CARE OF SUCH PATIENTS.