RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Challenging the dogma of traumatic cardiac arrest management: a military perspective
JF Emergency Medicine Journal
JO Emerg Med J
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and the British Association for Accident & Emergency Medicine
SP 955
OP 960
DO 10.1136/emermed-2015-204684
VO 32
IS 12
A1 J E Smith
A1 S Le Clerc
A1 P A F Hunt
YR 2015
UL http://emj.bmj.com/content/32/12/955.abstract
AB Attempts to resuscitate patients in traumatic cardiac arrest (TCA) have, in the past, been viewed as futile. However, reported outcomes from TCA in the past five years, particularly from military series, are improving. The pathophysiology of TCA is different to medical causes of cardiac arrest, and therefore, treatment priorities may also need to be different. This article reviews recent literature describing the pathophysiology of TCA and describes how the military has challenged the assumption that outcome is universally poor in these patients.