ANZCP2016

Here are some references from Dr Cliff Reid’s talk entitled “Traumatic cardiac arrest – a waste of time or wasted opportunity?” given at the Australian and New Zealand College of Paramedicine Conference in Melbourne in August 2016

ARC Guideline
ANZCOR Guideline 11.10.1 – Management of Cardiac Arrest due to Trauma

There ARE survivors
Evans CCD, Petersen A, Meier EN, Buick JE, Schreiber M, Kannas D, et al. Prehospital traumatic cardiac arrest. Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery. 2016 Aug;81(2):285–93.
Of 2300 traumatic arrest victims, a total of 145 patients (6.3%) survived to hospital discharge. More patients with blunt vs. penetrating injuries survived. Most survivors (81%) had vitals on emergency medical services arrival.

Prehospital blood transfusion – still awaiting evidence for benefit
Miller BT, Du L, Krzyzaniak MJ, Gunter OL, Nunez TC. Blood transfusion. Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery. 2016 Jul;81(1):15–20.

Tension pneumothorax review
Leigh-Smith S, Harris T. Tension pneumothorax–time for a re-think? Emerg Med J. 2004 Dec 20;22(1):8–16.

Tension pneumothorax may be present without signs of chest injury
Mistry N, Bleetman A, Roberts KJ. Chest decompression during the resuscitation of patients in prehospital traumatic cardiac arrest. Emerg Med J. 2009 Sep 22;26(10):738–40.

Long needle for chest decompression
Aho JM, Thiels CA, Khatib El MM, Ubl DS, Laan DV, Berns KS, et al. Needle thoracostomy. Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery. 2016 Feb;80(2):272–7.

Prehospital Open Thoracostomy
High K, Brywczynski J, Guillamondegui O. Safety and Efficacy of Thoracostomy in the Air Medical Environment. Air Med J. 2016 Jul;35(4):227–30.

Queensland Ambulance Service Clinical Practice Procedure: Thoracostomy

Compressions likely to be useless in hypovolaemic arrest
Jeffcoach DR, Gallegos JJ, Jesty SA, Coan PN, Chen J, Heidel RE, et al. Use of CPR in hemorrhagic shock, a dog model. Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery. 2016 Jul;81(1):27–33.