Practice Management Guidelines for Emergency Department Thoracotomy

Emergency department thoracotomy remains a formidable tool within the trauma surgeon's armamentarium. Since its introduction during the 1960s, the use of this procedure has ranged from sparing to liberal. In many urban trauma centers this procedure has found a niche as part of the resuscitative process because of the great improvements in Emergency Medical Services (EMS) systems, allowing many patients to arrive in either impending or full cardiopulmonary arrest.