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• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 2006
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 54 KB
• Volume: 48
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 1097-6760
• DOI: 10.1016/s0196-0644(06)01986-x

✦ Synopsis

same areas. Most of the 14 survivors described in that study breached 1 of the time-related guidelines.

In conclusion, this relatively large study confirms the outcome of traumatic cardiac arrest demonstrated in recent smaller studies. Outcome is still poor but, for reasons that are unclear, better than previously described. Survivors are found in several subgroups (eg, asphyxial injuries, penetrating chest trauma with immediate thoracotomy, neurologic injuries, tension pneumothorax), but cardiac arrest as a result of hypovolemia is virtually always fatal. Recent guidelines published on withholding resuscitation in traumatic cardiac arrest should be applied with caution because survivors who may have breached the guidelines have now been described in 2 studies.