Flail chest following the Heimlich maneuver in a 70-year-old man in Korea: a case report

The Heimlich maneuver is a useful technique for rescuing patients with airway obstruction, but improper application can cause serious complications. We report a case of a 70-year-old man who underwent the Heimlich maneuver after a food bolus became lodged in his throat while he was eating. Because inappropriate sternal compressions were performed, the obstructing foreign body was not removed at the scene; instead, it was extracted during endotracheal intubation in the emergency department. The patient also developed flail chest as a result of the chest compressions and required conservative management with hospitalization for more than 60 days. This case highlights that caregivers may know of the Heimlich maneuver but may not clearly understand the proper technique. Proper education and training in this lifesaving procedure are therefore essential.