management of traumatic cardiac arrest

absent or agonal breathing, pulseless, unconscious after trauma - usually due to major blood loss

likely causes

• hypoxia

• hypovolemia

• tension ptx

• tamponade

• irreversible - massive head injury, disruption of massive blood vessels

hott

• hypovolemia

• oxygenation

• tension ptx

• tamponade

hypovolemia

• deal with massive heamorrhage

• give blood and txa (all in, not over 2 mins)

• pelvic binder (close taps)

oxygenation

• airway management (igel)

• bvm and ventilation

• etco2

tension ptx

• bilateral needle de

tamponade

• consider if blunt force trauma

• emergency thoracotomy within 15 mins

rosc

• reassess marchpaws

• full set of obs

• limbs aligned and splinted

• spinal immobilisation if indicated

• transfer to damage control unit with intransitive care (medevac)

• clinical handover