Resuscitative thoracotomy in XXXX and adolescents.

@entity1 @entity130
@entity130 continues as the leading cause of mortality in @entity1 and adolescents. With the recent push for improvement in emergency medical services and specialized @entity130 centers for this age group, more moribund @entity1 can be expected to reach these centers. Multiple reports document the efficacy of resuscitative thoracotomy in the moribund adult @entity130 victim, but published reports of this technique in @entity1 and adolescents are lacking. From January 1981 to July 1986, 19 @entity1 ranging in age from 4 to 18 years (mean 14) underwent resuscitative thoracotomy. Eleven @entity1 sustained penetrating @entity130 while eight sustained @entity130 from @entity130 . Five @entity1 survived and were discharged from the hospital (26%). There were no survivors in the 0-15 year age group in five penetrating @entity130 and four @entity130 victims. This review confirms the efficacy of resuscitative thoracotomy in the @entity1 with penetrating @entity130 . Salvage in the @entity130 victim is possible, but less than in penetrating @entity130 (12.5% versus 36%). Further studies in this age group will be necessary to establish appropriate guidelines for the use of RT in @entity1 and adolescents.
